Fable
by SingStar234
Summary: Hiccup and Heather have lived on the streets for many years but after making a wish they find themselves in a castle owned by Lord Drago. When Lord Drago finds out that the young children are heroes he kills them. Or so he thought. Hiccup survived and is now on a journey to avenge his sisters death 10 years ago. He now must look for 3 heros that will give him the power he needs.
1. Childhood

The winter air surrounds the area of trees. Snow lies on the thin branches. A small bird lands on a pillar singing its turn. It quickly takes off into the forest dodging between each tree and branch before coming to the opening of a clear field. It soon makes its way into the clod city of Bowerstone. People getting on with their daily chores, others huddling around fires to keep warm. The bird lands once again on the edge of a roof top. It lets out a droplet before flying off again. The droplet finds its landing spot on the head of a young boy.

7 year old Hiccup is standing close to the fire hope to warm up. It is then he feels the droplet land on his head. He quickly realises what it is and tries to get it out of his hair. Heather, Hiccups older sister, a thirteen year old girl with black hair and a braid swung over her left shoulder was watching the fire closely when her little brother made the noise of "Eww."

"Oh yuck, well I hear that's good luck, like finding a four-leaf clover. Although I think I prefer the clover." Heather said as Hiccup wiped his hands on his already filthy brown pants.

"Yeah make that two." Hiccup said as he once again tries getting back to keeping warm.

"Oh look Little brother," Heather said as she looks towards the castle snow in the distances.

"Castle Fairfax looks so nice in the snow." Heather said. "Imagine the grand dining hall, bet Lord Drago has them roast up this time of year." Heather said as she started to picture the image. "But he must be really lonely since his wife and little girl died, in the big castle all by himself, oh if only we can live there." Heather says as she wakes up from her daydream.

"Yeah well, we'll think about it after we get a miracle." Hiccup said to his sister. Then at that moment the sounds of people cheering in the distances get both Hiccup and Heather attention.

"What is going on over there?" Heather asked.

"Don't know." Hiccup said as the cheering gets louder.

"Come with me little brother." Heather says as she took off ahead.

"Right behind you." Hiccup said as he run after his sister past a large tree and into an alleyway. He then comes across a man talking to his sister.

"Hello there young Heather you look hungry, have you reconsidered my offer?" old man Mildew said.

"We'll never be that hungry! The answer is no." Heather says with disgust in her voice.

"You'll be back and I'll be waiting for ya." he said.

"Come on Little brother let's see what going on." Heather said they ran past the old man. Heather then muttered under her breath "that filthy creep, I hate him!"

Once they approached a crowd of people. "Oh it's just a trader." Heather said with a little disappointment as Hiccup could see a caravan filled with some of the strangest objects.

"I can't see anything past this lot." Heather said as she tried to look past the adults that blocked their way.

"Gather round for the sale of the century!" Trader Johann said with a strange accent that Hiccup and Heather couldn't completely understand.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I have travelled the land accumulating wondrous and mysterious objects, which are now offered to you for the modish price of one gold." Trader Johann said as he rubbed his hands together like a creepy villain. "Consider this, this is truly a magical mirror for as long as you look into it, it will make you beautiful." He said as Hiccup and Heather rolled their eyes.

"I'll take it!" a man said as Trader Johann had this mischievous smile.

"Very wise, now just remember the magic only works if you look at it in complete darkness." He then turned his attention to a small box sitting on a desk.

"Ah now this is truly a marvel, this small unassuming box is actually a bow created by the ancients, as used by the old kingdom rulers themselves, turn the handle three times and you should be granted a single wish." Trader Johann said as Hiccup look over to his sister who had an annoyed look.

"There's no such thing as magic." she said as Hiccup nodded his head in agreement fully unaware of the hooded woman that stood behind Heather.

"We live in grim times indeed if the young are unwary to believe in magic, most children your age believe eagerly." the woman said turning to the children showing her pale white eyes and a faint scar that went across them.

"Look I can see your eyes are bad, but I'm telling you that music box is rubbish." Heather said as the woman smiled towards them.

"That's what the seller thinks, he has no idea what he's stumbled upon but you have an inkling don't you? Some part of you wants to believe it's magic." she said as she started to walk away leaving Heather and Hiccup confused.

"You really think it could be?" Heather asked with hope in her voice. The woman stopped walked and looked towards them.

"For five gold coins you could have your answer." she said.

"For five gold coins we can eat for a week." she said as the woman continued to walk slowly.

"Listen to me Heather at the end of the week you and Hiccup would be no closer to your dream no closer to the inside of that beautiful castle." she said as she walked farther away.

"How does she know our names?" Hiccup muttered softly. Heather turned to him, not hearing what he said.

"What if it is real? Bet we could get five gold pieces and maybe this could be a way out of here after all, what do we have to lose little brother?" Heather said as Hiccup thought about it for a moment.

"Come on, we might as well. This could be our luck from the bird." he said reminding his sister of the small event that happened minutes ago. Heather laughed.

"Come on, there must be someone around here who will pay us gold to do something." She said as they began to walk around Old Town in search for gold.

After taking a task for Gobber The Guard and taking a picture from a weird man named Barnum, they were able to earn their first gold piece. Heather and Hiccup began to walk down an alley the arrest warrants flew down when they heard a dog whining and a set of siblings ran down chasing the dog.

"Gustav got a dog and he's going to kick the crap out." They said. Hiccup and Heather ran after them, to where they saw a dog cornered to a wall and a large boy around Heather's age stood in front of it pointing a wooden sword at it.

"What's the matter doggy? Does it hurt?" he said about to hit the dog again. Heather stood behind him with her hands on her hips.

"Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Heather yelled catch the boy attention.

"Having a bit of fun. What's it to you?" he said heading budding Heather. She hit the ground crying out in pain. The kids all stood shocked.

"He hit a girl." one of the children said.

"Yeah and now I'm going to hit another one!" he said looking towards Hiccup.

"Do I look like a girl to you?" Hiccup said pulling out a toy sword.

"You do to me." Gustav said laughing, along with a couple of the other kids.

"Well would a normal girl do this?" And with that Hiccup began with whack Gustav with his toy sword. He got 5 good swings when he finally stopped. Gustav stood still holding his bloody face in his hands.

"Ow, stop it, leave me alone you nutter!" he said crying as he ran off. Hiccup ran over to his sister.

"Ow! Did you see that? That lunatic sought me right in the head!" Heather said rubbing her forehead as Hiccup attached his toy sword back onto his back.

"Thanks for your help, I could have taken him though." Heather said as Hiccup smiled.

"Yeah I know you could have." he said. Their attention was brought back to the scared dog that was still shaking.

"Ah poor thing had a horrible time." Heather said getting closer. "Don't be scared we won't hurt you." She said as the dog whined a little. "What you need is someone nice to look after you." she said as the dog barked and wagged its tail.

"Oh we can't keep you, we barely have food for ourselves." she said as dog sat and put its head down. "Well I'm sorry but we can't, now you just rest." she said looking over to Hiccup, "come on Hiccup let's go." she said as she started walking. Hiccup quickly walked over and petted the dog head as it looked up towards him.

"Don't worry I know you'll find someone nice." he said catching up to Heather as they walked furore down the alley.

After killing a bunch of beetle, and getting a man's bum booze back and handing it over to his friend Betty, the kids had four warrants as they saw the dog from before with a paper in front of him.

"There's that dog again." Heather said as Hiccup picked up the paper and saw it was a warrant.

"Heather look." he said handing it to her.

"Hey he found one for us, such a good boy." Heather said petting his head.

"Your a smart one." Hiccup said petting the dog too.

"Oh I know you're sweet but I told you before we can't keep you, come on Hiccup." Heather said as they got ready to return the warrants to the Gobber.

Just as they reached the alley ahead the man from before Mildew blocked their path with anger filled in his eyes.

"Stop right there you little brats!" Mildew said. Heather grunted.

"Listen creep I told you know this morning." Heather said.

"Shut it girl this isn't about that, those warrens you're collecting, I want them." he said.

"So does our friend the guard." Heather said.

"Yeah but you're giving them to me otherwise there'll be trouble." he said.

"There'll be trouble aright, you take these and I'll tell my friend what you really want." Heather said.

"All right you little hard case, how much is he giving you, a gold piece? I got one right here save you the walk back." he said. Hiccup then looked towards Heather. He the looked over to Mildew and stepped on his toe hard. Savage let out a cry of pain. Heather and Hiccup took this opportunity and quickly ran over to Gobber.

"Have you found them?" he asked.

"Yes we did." Hiccup said handing him the warrants.

"Thanks you're a lifesaver. Now normally justice is its own reward but seeing how this isn't normal circumstances here's a gold piece." he said handing them there four coin.

"That should sort out this town." Heather said as they walked towards a man looking up towards a balcony where a girl was looking down at him.

After helping a man with no sense in romance get the girl, the siblings got their last coin.

"We did it, now we can buy the music box." Heather said as they rushed over to Trader Johann caravan.

"Hello children." Trader Johann said.

"Hello we've come to buy that music box." Heather said.

"Very wise little one. Go ahead and turn the handle but how about you go somewhere more quiet like." he said handing them the box. Hiccup took the box and Heather handed him the collected gold.

"Let's go make our wish little brother." Heather said as they hurried back to where before to keep them warm and placed the box and a stack of crates. Heather place the box and began to turn the handle.

"I wish, I wish." Heather and Hiccup said together as Heather finish spinning the key as the top of the box opened and a yellow light flowed from the top and a beautiful song began to play as the box began to spin and the light turned red as the music began to play faster and faster and suddenly disappeared into a bright light.

"Huh, where did it go?" Heather asked as Hiccup looked around to see if anything happened.

"I can't see it." he said with disappointment.

"Why are we still here?" Heather asked.

"I don't know maybe it was a fake after all." Hiccup said as they began to walk back to their makeshift home.

"Five gold pieces." Heather said.

"Guess we didn't get good luck after all."Hiccup said. Heather grunted in frustration

"Let's just go to bed." she said. "I was so sure this was it, I had this feeling like we were going to get stuck in Old Town any more." she said.

"I know how you feel." Hiccup said.

"Why didn't the box take it with us with it?" Heather asked as they reached their home.

"I don't know." Hiccup said. As they arrived back to their little home they saw the dog from before emerged and barked at them.

"What are you doing here? I'm sure I didn't wish for you." Heather said looking over at her brother giving him a glare.

"Don't look at me, I didn't." Hiccup said defending himself.

"All right fine, welcome to our little paradise." Heather said walking over to her matt as Hiccup walked over to his. The dog walked over to Hiccup and rested in front of him.

"Come one Hiccup go to bed." Heather said.

"Night Heather." Hiccup said. They both soon fell asleep.

After a few hours of sleep the barks of the children newly adopted dog awoke Heather. She looked up and saw a man standing in the entrance of their shack.

"Oh all right just settle down angry stray dog." a guard said as Heather approached him.

"Quiet boy! What do you want?" Heather asked as the dog continued to bark and growled.

"I work for Lord Drago's miss, he would very like to see you at his castle. I've been sent to collect you." he said starting to walk away.

"It did work. Our wish came true! Come one Hiccup wake up." she said shaking her little brother.

"Go away." Hiccup groaned as he sat up and rubbed his eyes as Heather turned to the dog.

"It's all right. We're going to Lord Drago's castle." Heather said with a lot of excitement. The dog whined and Hiccup looked over to his sister in shock.

"We are?" he said.

"We'll come back for you, I promise." Heather said petting the dog who seemed scared but not for himself but for his new masters. Heather ran past the dog and Hiccup remembered something as he ran over to Heather's matt and grabbed her diary and his toy weapons.

"It's ok boy, once you get to the castle we'll give you a proper name and home and that's a promise." Hiccup said putting the dairy in his pocket and ran after Heather as the dog rested its head back down on the ground.

Once he caught up with Heather they were loading her up into a carriage. Hiccup climbed in and sat next to Heather as their escort sat in front of them.

"Let's go to the castle." Heather said.

"Let's go!" the guard yelled as their drive got the horses to ride them to their new home.

After an hour of riding and walking through the castle, Heather and Hiccup stood in front of large doors just above a spiral staircase as the butler stood before them.

"Evening Savage, here are the children Lord Drago asked for." the guard said.

"Excellent." the butler said looking down at the children, "hello young masters" he said.

"Hello sir." Heather said.

"Evening sir." Hiccup said a little shy as he hid behind his sister.

"If you'll follow me please." Savage said as the children followed him.

"We look up at this castle every day and think how nice it is, we both do," Heather said as Hiccup looked around the pictures and spotted a man ahead that caught his attention.

"But inside it's even more beautiful than I imagined," Heather said.

"It is quite wonderful isn't it?" Savage said as the man Hiccup saw from before began to walk past them and Hiccup got a good look at him.

The man had blue line on his arm and face and wore an outfit with scrolls on it that made Hiccup believe this man could be a hero.

"Ah hello Master Eret." Savage said as the man walked past him without a hello or even a grunt, "ha man of few words." he said with annoyance in his voice.

"Where is the grand dining hall?" Heather asked.

"Oh in the north wing, Lord Drago hasn't been in there since the tragic deaths of Lady Fairfax and little Emilia." Savage said.

"Oh I heard, that was so awful," Heather said.

"Yes he misses them terribly." Savage said.

"So where does he eat?" Heather asked.

"Actually he takes most of his meals in his study he's in there all hours doing research," Savage said.

"What does he research?" Heather asked.

"On history mostly, Lord Drago is keen on antiquity of all short but his chiefly interests is things related to the old kingdom." he said.

"There was a trader in Old Town who said his stuff was from the Old Kingdom." Heather said.

"Yes, yes I believe Lord Drago heard about that." he said.

"We got a piece of it, made a wish and now were here." Heather said not even concerned as to what she was telling him. They then stopped in front of the doors and Savage turned to the children.

"That wonderful now when you meet Lord Drago you must show respect at all times, address him as my lord, speak only when spoken too." he said looking at them closely.

"Yes sir." Heather said.

"And do not mention Lady Fairfax or Emilia." he said pushing open the door.

"Here we are, Lord Drago the children are here." he said as Heather and Hiccup entered the room and Savage closed the doors behind them.

A man with black hair with rolled up white sleeves stood by a desk. He then turned to them, "Children it's comes to my attention that you have some short of magic box, may I see it?" he asked with his hands behind his back.

"It vanished my lord we were winding it up we made a wish and it started to glow then it disappeared." Heather explain as Hiccup stood behind her

"After you used it?" Drago asked.

"Yes my lord the man who sold it to us said it was magic." Heather said

"The box is of no interest to me, what's remarkable is that you were able to use it, what was you wish?" He asked.

"Oh uh" Heather said as she started to giggle in embarrassment.

"Well speak up what did you wish for?" he asked.

"To live in a castle, like this one." Heather said.

"Ha, perhaps that can be arranged. I'm working to rebuild...I'm working on something wonderful for which I need individuals with particular talents." he said as the kids looked at him with curiosity. "Lets us see if you possess them, would you kindly stand in the circle please?" he asked gesturing a small platform by a window.

"Uh" Heather said as her and Hiccup didn't like the sound of this.

"I promise it won't hurt you." he said as Heather looked to her brother. He nodded his approval and they both walked onto a circle as it glowed blue.

"What's that?" Heather asked.

"Nothing to worry about." Drago said examining the blue light that surrounded Heather and Hiccup. "It true. Your blood, you heroes." he said.

"Heroes? You mean like in the old stories?" Heather asked with excitement in her voice as Hiccup watches Drago closely.

Drago then reached out and touched the blue light as his hand got burnt and the light turned red. He groaned in pain, "what are you?" he said rushing over to his desk and looked through his papers.

"Right there something here." he said.

"My lord what's happening? What that light?" Heather asked.

"Quiet!" Drago yelled. Hiccup immanently knew that they were in danger. "Your heroes but you're not any of the three, one of you is the fourth." he said pulling out a gun. Hiccup heart began to pound with fear as Drago pointed it at them and began muttering, "nothing must stand in my way."

"No wait don't! Noooooo!" Heather yelled. Hiccup was frozen in fear as the gun shot was heard and Heather collapsed to the ground.

"Heather!" Hiccup yelled as tears welled in his eyes. he looked towards Drago.

"I can't allow you to live either...I'm sorry." he said. Hiccup backed away as he heard the first shot and felt the pain in his shoulder as he fell out of the window and flew down towards Old Town as he hit a roof then landed on the ground.

A shadow fuzzy figure started to make its way to him. He felt a little heat of breath beat against his hand. He then heard the voice of the old woman from before say to him, "death is not your destiny toady Little Hiccup." before everything blacked out.

When Hiccup first awoke he first realised he was in a strange bed. He then heard some whimpering forming from his side. He looked to his left to see the dog from before. He reached out and pet it warm fur and saw the woman from before.

"Who are you?" he asked as he saw his bandaged hands and saw bandages covering most of his body.

"My name is Theresa and you are in a gypsy camp next to Bower Lake." She answered.

"Where's Heather?" He asked, not remembering the events from that night.

"I am sorry to say that your sister is dead. Drago killed her and attempted to kill you as well." she said. Hiccup let out a shaky breath. The dog whimpered once again and laid his head on Hiccups chest. Hiccup petted the dogs head.

"How long have I been asleep?" Hiccup asked with tears in his eyes.

"Three days," she said touching his face and wiping away his tears. "Rest now because you'll stay here and I'll train you so that you can avenge your sister death." Theresa said.

"For how long?" Hiccup asked.

"For as long as I believe." Theresa said. "I will leave you to rest." She then walked out of the room and left the dog and Hiccup alone.

Hiccup looked down at the dog and carried on petting his head. "What am I gonna call you?" The dog the lifted his head and let his tongue flop out. Hiccup the saw the dog was missing a couple of teeth. He let out a little laugh. "Looks like you're a bit toothless." The dog the barked. Hiccup then thought of something. "How do you like that? Toothless?" The dog barked once again. Hiccup smiled. "Alright, Toothless it is."


	2. Gaining the Will

Gaining the Will

Ten years past and I was now 17. Today was my last day in the camp before I set out to avenge my sister. I had let my hair grow out a little and wore a sort of armor which is dark brown, with a long-sleeve dark red tunic with brown arm brackets. As I carried on looking out into the distance I hear Toothless bark. I looked to my side to see Theresa approaching me.

"Ah there you are and your faithful friend too." she said.

"Yeah just getting a nice final view." I said.

"Many years ago I promised that I would help you avenge your sister death, that day has come." she said. "Today you will leave the safety of this camp and seek out Drago. The journey will not be easy."

"I'm wasn't expecting it to be." I said. She looked towards my caravan.

"There's a chest near your caravan, I've left a few things that might prove useful. Meet me by the gates when you're ready." she said walking past me towards the gates. I walked down to my caravan and looked at the large chest.

"How did she get this thing over here?" I asked myself. I opened it to find a rusty sword, a light splattered crossbow, a health potion, a dog elixir, a dog collar, and a spade.

"Come here bud." I said to Toothless, who was trying to catch the butterfly why it was flying around. He walks over to me and I put on his new collar. After saying goodbye to my friends and neighbours of the last 10 years, I walk over to Theresa who was waiting by the gate like she said.

"Now come with me." she said as we started to walk towards the closed gates.

"Open the gates." the gate keeper said as the gates opened for us, "Good luck." he said. I smiled towards him and began walking towards the bridge with Theresa.

She then stopped and turned to me holding a strange object, "Take this." she said handing me the blue object.

"What is it?" I asked.

"It is a powerful artifact the kind which all heroes once carried, it will grant you access to places others cannot go, it will also allow me to talk to you when necessary." she said. I took the object and place it in my pocket.

"Now look down towards the lake, the seal will allow you to enter that tomb, and in its darkest depth lies the chamber of fate, when you come out again you will be stronger, much stronger, now go." she said. Toothless and I ran down towards the lake and got ready for a nice swim.

Once out of the cold water I walked towards the tomb doors and see an impression of the seal on the doors. I then placed the seal on the doors and I heard a clank and the gears on the door began to move as the heavy metal doors swung open.

"Here we go Toothless." I said looking down towards the dark tunnel, once inside I could see torches all along the walls as Toothless and I walk throughout the hall.

"Don't be alarmed, I'm speaking to your threw the guilds seal." Theresa said as me and Toothless reach a dead end with a large hole in the ground, "you'll need to jump into the hole to continue."

"Are you serious? I can't see the bottom." I pointed out.

"Don't worry. The water at the bottom will break your fall." she said as I looked to Toothless who was shaking in fear slightly.

"Don't worry bud, I'll go first and call you down." I said petting his head. I step to the edge of the ditch and jumped into the hole. I land in the water with a loud splash as I swam to the surface.

"Okay Toothless jump down bud." I said as I saw Toothless jump down and land next to me. "Good boy." I say to him. I look around the area and see a tunnel ahead with more lit torches. I start to swim in that direction, with Toothless behind me. Once we walked into the hall I jumped off a ledge. The first thing I notice is giant beetle rise from the ground.

"Great, I hate bugs," I said pulling my sword out as Toothless began barking as the bug began flying towards me. I slashed my sword through each one that got to close. After a minute all 10 of the beetles were dead.

Toothless and I then continued down the tunnels as more beetle appeared and ended up the same as the other once. As I moved deeper into the tomb I reached more water but I saw the exit on the other side. Toothless and I swam across to the other side and walked up the reached an opening where I looked down a ledge and to see a bridge and torch below. I jumped down with Toothless landing next to me.

Once we walked across the bride and down into another tunnel I could see more beetles along the roof of this tunnel. I shot them with my crossbow and continued on until I found myself in a large area. I took another tunnel which lead into a room with a fog covered bottom and bridges going from large rocks and more beetles.

I fought my way across the bridges and I soon reached the other end of the room and entered a tunnel. That soon led me and Toothless into a large room with a large circle in the centre with blue torches surrounding it. I then stepped into the centre of the circle and realized it was a weight plate. As it went down a yellow light appeared over a large gold door.

"You'll have to shoot the orb to open the door." Theresa said. I shot the ball and it flew towards me and was now blue.

I then punched the orb as it flew back and turned yellow. I shot it again and it moved to the door. The orb then disappears as it goes near to the door. I hear the circular lock begin to move as the lock began to turn and the door opened showing another tunnel.

As I walked into it walking down it past a cave filled with broken bookshelves, at the end of the tunnel I could see a bright light ahead. I soon found myself on a large bridge.

"Beyond these broken doors lies the heroes guild." Theresa said as I walked towards a large room where the light was flowing down towards another circle platform.

"For centuries this academy trained the supremely gifted sons and daughters of Albion, bound together by the blood that flowed through their veins. Once worshipped by the people of Albion the great heroes became feared and hated. No man alive today remembers the night the guild burn and now it lies forgotten, but the heroes are not all gone, you are here and that same heroic blood flows through you." Theresa said as I looked around the room.

"The guild has reacted to you. Step into the light and learn the true power of heroes." Theresa said. I hesitate but soon walked into the light. Suddenly a blue light appeared on my chest and a painful power flowed through me. I was lifted off the ground for a moment.

"Your blood is awakening. You can now channel the experience you collected into Strength, Skill, or Will." Theresa said as I regained my strength and looked at my hands to see a faint blue glow in my blood veins.

"Strength improves hand to hand combat; Skill allows you to shoot faster and with better accuracy, Will give you control of the forces of magic." Theresa said as a red orb appeared at the end of the room.

"That one's like the others, except it's red." I said.

"Before you is a Cullis Gate, it reacts to the one who seeks to use it, you have not been able to use Will yet but the simple act of reaching this place has given you Will experience you need to learn a Will ability to activate the Cullis Gate." Theresa said. I approached the gate and looked into the knowledge I gained. I look through each one when I found one particular spell I wanted to try. I brought my hands together as a blue light form between them.

"Shock!" I yell as fast line of lighting slammed into the red orb and it turned into a blue light.

"Well done you are now ready to begin your journey, use the Cullis Gate." she said. Toothless and I stepped into the light and the blue light suddenly brightens.

Once I could see I saw I was on top of a rock hill next to Bower Lake and was surrounded by beetles.

"Use your new found ability to defeat the enemy." Theresa said. I slammed my hand to the ground and the Shock spell sent the electric the bugs.

"Where to now Theresa?" I asked.

"Make your way to Bowerstone." Theresa said. I soon start to run towards the lit trail and followed the signs to the path the Bowerstone. After getting to the path to Bowerstone I saw that the path was blocked and a guard was guarding it.

"Apologizes citizen the road to Bowerstone closed due to the bandit activity, I'm afraid as long as that bandit Dagur the Deranged is alive the road stays closed. If you're in a hurry like you could always take care of Dagur yourself." The guard said. I let out a sigh and start to make my way down a path where I knew all too well where the bandit camp was.

"So the road to Bowerstone is closed, it would seem Dagur has been capturing traders on their way to the Bower Lake Camp. He is a danger to all and must be dealt with. With your new power you should be able to defeat Dagur and his gang and continue your quest, no doubt they are at his camp near Bower Lake." Theresa said.

"Great I get to fight bandits." I said sarcastically. Toothless and I then start to followed the trail with bandit flags.

Once I passed the open wooden gate made of sharp pointed logs. I saw no sign of a bandit anywhere as I got close to a cage.

"Be careful. It may be a trap." Theresa said.

"I know." I said as I saw two people locked in the cage. I ran over to it and tried to open it. "Look out it's an ambush!" the man yelled as bandits began to jump from trees and surrounded me.

"Well what have we hear? Another lost traveller." one of them said.

"And he's got our dinner." another said at Toothless who was growling.

"Sorry but no one is have dog for dinner, so if you value you lives I would leave." I said to the group of bandits. One of them goes to attack me so I quickly send a bolt of lighting his way. He is suddenly weak and falls onto the floor.

"What the hell was that?" one of them said.

"He's one of those Will Users, kill him!" another said as they began their attack.

I send another bolt of lighting to the ground this time and electrocute them all at once. While they are all still weak I am able to slay all the bandits. I looked over to Toothless who was barking at the door to a cabin.

"Toothless get away from there!" I yell running over a dead bandit. Before I could reach the door, door to the cabin broke into a hundred pieces and a large bandit with antlers on his head walks out. He kick Toothless to the side with a vicious yell.

"No one defies Dagur the Deranged, I'll gut you myself! I'll give you three second to get ready, no wait two! Oh sod it ahhhhh!" he said pulling out his sword and came running at me. I hit him with Shock but it didn't stop him. I blocked his swing with my sword. I quickly pushed him back and smacked him a few times with my sword but it didn't slow him down as he kept coming. I continued to strike at him till he collapsed on the ground. I hear whining and turn around to see Toothless limping.

"Here boy drink this." I said giving him some of the dog elixir.

"Well done I'll tell the guard of Dagur's death." Theresa said. I looked to the slaves.

"Where's the key?" I asked.

"Dagur keeps the key in the cabin it's in a chest." he said. I went inside the cabin and got the key from the chest. When I came out I saw a man approach.

"Don't even think about setting those slaves free." the man said.

"Oh yeah and who going to stop me?" I said approaching the cage.

"Look I don't want any trouble, how about I make it worth your while." he said holding a bag of gold.

"No don't listen to him!" the male gypsy said.

"Shut it!" the bandit yelled.

"You wouldn't do that would you Hiccup?" the female gypsy said.

"I said shut it, I'm not going to tell you again!" the bandit said "well what do you say?" he asked. I walked over to the cage and unlocked it as the gypsies ran out.

"We're free!" the girl said.

"I can't believe you did that!" the bandit said in shock.

"Were free, free to wander the path with no master but the wind itself like...like what the word I'm looking for Reg?" the man asked.

"I don't know and it's Regina, well I'm going now thanks again." she said.

"Yeah thanks." the man said as they both took off.

"I can't believe you turned down hard cash!" the bandit said.

"They will never forget your kindness, meet me at the Bowerstone clock tower." Theresa said.

"You're a nutter you hear me a nutter!" the bandit yelled. He comes up behind me with his sword but didn't expect me to notice. I quickly turn around and hit him with Shock sending him flying into the cage making him drop his bag of gold and closing the door as I picked up the bag off gold and locked the door.

"Let's see how you like being caged bandit." I said throwing the key into the camp fire. I walked back to the trail and made my way back to the Bowerstone road.

Once I reached the road I saw men and women all entering the path. I looked towards the guard.

"Apparently someone took down that bandit leader so it's safe now. I'd like to shake the hand of the bloke who did it. " he said. As Toothless and I make our way through the gate we goes pass the guard, take his hand and give it a quick shake. We then start to make our way down the Bowerstone road.

On foot its takes nearly one day to get to Bowerstone Market. When we reached the market Toothless and I were both tired and hungry. When we reached the gates a man with a strange hat and holding a lute approached me.

"It's you, the Hero of Bower Lake." he said.

"How can you tell?" I asked.

"Well it's obvious you're the only one with a sword on his back and you're clearly not a guard." he said.

"Oh I guess that would make it obvious." I said.

"I'm Fishlegs, I'm a Bard and I'm just wanted to ask you a couple of questions about this Will power you have." he said.

"That should be fine, but first I would like to have a look round Bowerstone." I said.

"Well maybe I could be your guide." he said.

"Okay I could use a guide to show me around." I said.

"So does the hero have a name?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm Hiccup and this little guy here is Toothless." I said petting Toothless's head as we walked past a store.

"Well that over there is the Bowerstone Convenient Store." Fishlegs said.

"What do they sell?" I asked.

"Well they sell essential like spades, lutes, and food but I really wouldn't buy the food unless you really want a bad case of the runs." Fishlegs explained as we crossed the bridge. "Now these are the Bowerstone traders they sell, meat, wine, fish, fruit and even pie." he said pointing towards the small booths. My stomach suddenly growls. Fishlegs and Toothless stared at me.

"I've been walking for an entire day and I'm hungry." I said as we crossed the bridge and got closer to the clock tower.

"The two stores on the left is the Bowerstone book-store and potion shops and the ones on the right is the furniture and weapons shop." Fishlegs said as I saw the clock tower but no Theresa.

"I have bad news I'm afraid I'll be delayed for a while, in the mean time you should buy some new equipment and prepare for the challenges ahead but you'll need money if you need money there are jobs to be found, I believe the blacksmith has an opening." Theresa said as I looked over to the weapons shop.

"Hey Fishlegs I think I'm going to work for a while so you don't have to stick around." I said.

"Oh alright I guess I'll see you later then." he said as I went over to take the job.

After working for a few hours I had made a few thousand gold and brought some new weapons like a hand gun and a sword that wasn't rusted and bought some fresh fruits, vegetables and meats and packed them away in a bag I bought.

I was waiting by the clock tower, which read nine o'clock. Suddenly a blue light appeared on the side and Theresa appeared.

"I apologize for the delay. Events are moving quickly indeed." she said.

"It's alright, gave me time to earn some gold." I said giving Toothless a dog biscuit I bought.

"Think about your life, all the places you been the people you know, everything you done, how many moments, how many memories, Dagur and his men had just as many and now they have none because of you, do you feel the weight of responsibility?" she asked.

"When you put it like that then yeah." I said.

"You'll get used to it like all heroes do, come the world is better off without Dagur and Bower Lake is most certainly in your depth." she said as I followed behind her.

"But to really see the impact of your action you need to look no furore then Bowerstone, it has changed much since you lived here, particularly Old Town where you spent your childhood, never forget even the simplest choice can have far reaching consequences." she said as we reached the Bowerstone Stone Cutter shop.

"I won't forget." I said.

"Look that is where Drago is now, the Tattered Spire." Theresa said as I looked past the metal fence and saw a black object out at sea.

"The Spire was intended as a conduit for all the magic in the world granting the kingdom ruler a power so great. It could bend reality to his will. On the day it was completed and the first wish made, a light bloomed inside and it's nature could not have been darker, Albion shattered. Centuries of civilizations were wiped out in moments the people erased from existences some say this was the first wish, an end to a hollow corrupt world and for a purer one to take its place. And now the Spire rise once again by Drago's hand. Drago found documents that foretold the coming of one who would stop him from using the Spire." she said. I know what she means by that.

"That's why Heather died, isn't it?" I said. She nodded.

"That is why your sister died, and that is why you will face him. The cards of shown me this, here take a look." she said handing me several cards with strange images.

"Each of the three heroes you see in the cards is a step on the hidden path to Drago's downfall, and the life force of heroes. Will it's self is the key to the Spire power. Drago agents spread across the lands even as we speak. You must find the three heroes before Drago does because you are the fourth, the one who will bring his downfall." she said as I looked at the pilgrim card.

"Where do I start?" I asked.

"I've seen a vision of a holy ritual in Oakfield. Salvation though bitter-sweet is delivered by one with incredible strength. Speak to the Abbot in the Temple of Light and see what you can learn about this pilgrim. The road to Oakfield will be dangerous, good luck." she said. Me and Toothless then start to make our way to the place where we meet and where me and my sister last been together.


	3. Journey to Oakfield

Journey to Oakfield

After an hour of walking around my old childhood home I walked into Old Town where the Sheriff turned to me who had a very familiar face.

"Well hello again it's you, well you've changed since you were last running around theses streets." he said.

"Gobber? Oh my god. It's been so long." I said with a smile.

"Well thanks to you Lord Drago made me sheriff and then he disappeared." Gobber said.

"Yeah how unfortunate." I said trying to hide my anger.

"Well look at you, a proper adventure I bet you made that sister of yours proud." he said.

"Yeah I know she is." I said.

"Well thanks to you Old Town has become one of the most desired places in Bowerstone, and since you're a good friend of the sheriff all the shopkeepers will give you a discount." he said.

"Thanks Gobber." I said.

"Well enjoy yourself." he said walking past me to Bowerstone Market. I walked down a familiar road that I followed on my way to the Oakfield road past the cemetery and down the road where I past a sign that said Rookridge which was a fifteen hour walk on foot.

Once I found a rocky area that was pouring with rain I could see a man run past me yelling "bandits!" as he ran in the direction I took.

I walked ahead to see a broken carriage with several dead bodies and a man taking stuff from the bodies. "Ah thank you bandits." he says before looking up at me, "oh this is what it looks like." he said.

"Really? Then what am I looking at?" I asked crossing my arms.

"I didn't kill these people the bandits did. They took the loot but they didn't check the bodies. You can help yourself take whatever you want, I'm not greedy." he said going back to taking from the dead.

"No thanks." I said walking past him and up a hill.

"You are righteous and focused at the task at hand, that's good we have no need for distraction." Theresa said.

"I agree." I said. I proceeded into an area where Toothless starts to growl.

"Wait! Bandits, it would be unwise to take them head on" Theresa said.

"What should I do then?" I asked as I hid behind a rock.

"Dispatch them from here with you gun." she said. I pulled my gun out and began shooting at bandits as none of them knew where the source of their attack was coming from. I shot the last one down and made my way down the path and past a bridge that lead to a statue that hand to strange presences with it as I continued to walk up the trail to pile of crates. I saw more bandits ahead. Perfect time to try a new spell.

"Blades!" I yell. Three red swords flew above my head and into the hearts of bandits that approached.

"That spell will come in handy." I said as I continued down the path and saw three bandits ahead near a camp fire.

"Take out your gun this will be over before they know it." Theresa said as I took three shots and watch the men fall to the ground. I then make my way past this area and to a broken bridge with three bandits on the other side.

"Oh look another traveler, you trying to get to Oakfield, well you're going to have to swim lubby." the first said.

"Ha, ha, ha, yeah jump!" the second said.

"Jump, jump, jump" the two said rising their hands in the air.

"Dive!" the third man said. The other looked at him in shock.

"What?" the first said.

"Sorry." the third said.

"You always have to be different." the second said as I looked down below to the water.

"For once the bandits are correct, the only way forward is down." Theresa said.

"Great, just great." I said. I take a deep breath before diving down into the water with Toothless.

Once I resurfaced I saw a small beach with a campfire. Toothless and I swam towards it. I climbed onto the beach and watched as Toothless shook the water off his fur. I soon saw a man approached us with a face like he seen a ghost.

"My son Joey in there, he needs help, maybe we can go in together, please?" he begged.

"Fine, I need to go in anyway so I'll help you find your son." I said.

"Oh thank you." he said as we entered the mine.

"It's good you dropped by, I didn't want to go in by myself, you see uh, maybe I should have mentioned this but there maybe one or two Hobbes in here." he said.

"A what?" I asked.

"Hobbes little monsters that take children and turn them into more Hobbes but those are just stories, I mean I've always told Joey they were stories." he said as we entered room where the ground was covered in blood and dead bodies.

"Story or not, whatever did this is very dangerous." I said as I looked over to see the man vomit.

"Oh, I'm sorry I've never seen anything like this before." he said as were heard something growl further in the cave. "What was that?"

"No idea." I said.

"We should check it out, uh I'm right behind you." he said. I followed a mine track to an opening where I saw three ugly gray creatures wearing children clothes and had weapons on their back as one sniffed the air and turned as it screeched and the other two followed showing their sharp fangs.

Once they attacked it only took one good swing with my sword to kill the creatures as I looked to the man who kicked one of the beasts.

"Ugly little toad." he said as I examined one and saw the children clothes.

"Why is it wearing kid's clothes?" I asked as Toothless sniffed it.

"Don't know but this can't be a Hobbe could it? I mean they couldn't have been children could they? Oh Joey." he said. We began to walk up the platform to go higher in the cave.

"Do you think this is safe? This walkway seems kind of rickety." he said.

"Yeah just don't look down." I said. As soon as we reached the top and entered a room we heard a child cries.

"That's Joey! I can hear him!" the man said running past me as Hobbes began to surround me.

"Wait it's too dangerous to go alone!" I yelled as Hobbes began to attack. I guess its time to test a new spell.

"Inferno!" I yelled as I punched the ground beneath me. Immediately all the Hobbes burst into flames and all dropped dead. I chased after the man who was by a blocked door.

"Joey just stay there." he said.

"Did you find him?" I asked.

"Yes, try to find another way in while I try to get this door opened." he said trying to turn the wheel on the door. Toothless started to bark as we went into a dark tunnel.

Once I got deeper I found a room where body bags stained with blood hung from the ceiling above me, dripping down to blood puddles on the ground. I walked on the blood stained ground as the child cries turn into one of the Hobbes screeches. I saw one about to attack the man I quickly shot it down as it got too close to the man.

"I was too late they turned me son into…..and I always told him those stories were fake but they were true." the man said as he passed out on the ground.

"You should get out of there, head for the surface quickly." Theresa said.

"But I can't just leave him here." I said. Theresa didn't answer me as I knew she was right. I quickly ran ahead in the tunnel. I reached a large room where I could see a ladder right above me. I put Toothless on my shoulder and climbed up the ladder. I opened a door and found it was still raining and I could see the three bandits from before.

"I'm bored can we go back now?" one asked.

"No, our job is to guard the bridge." the second said.

"But it's broken no one can cross it." the first said.

"What we need is some excitement, like someone sneaking up on us." the third said.

"Okay here's some excitement for you." I say as I used Force Push to push all three of the bandits off the bridge. I walked to the edge to see them rise to the surface of the water below.

"Hey enjoy your swim bandits!" I yelled as I saw them swim towards the Hobbes Cave. Toothless and I continued down the road to Oakfield.

The walk was thirteen hours so by the time Toothless and I arrived to Oakfield it was already dark. As we approached to town we were greeted by the sheriff.

"Well I didn't expect to see a now face today, two new faces even, stay out of trouble or you'll have me to deal with now with that said well welcome to Oakfield." he said.

"Thank you." I said. I felt beyond tired so I decided to make my way to the Sandgoose Hotel where I went to the bartender who noticed me and Toothless.

"Can I help you sir?" he asked.

"Yes one room please." I said.

"Will that be all?" he asked.

"Yes please." I said.

"Twenty gold." he said. I handed the gold to him and make my way to one of the empty rooms where I laid on the bed with Toothless. As I closed my eyes I felt myself immediately sleep away into sleep.

When I awoke the next morning I could hear the town crier shouting. "Morning here!" I rubbed my eyes and looked over to Toothless as he barked.

"Hey boy. You ready to head to the Temple?" I asked Toothless. He barked in response. We jumped out of bed and headed out of the hotel before making our to the Temple of Light.

"Oakfield is one of the luscious regions in Albion. It owes its futility to the extraordinary golden oak which lives for only a few decades before producing a single golden acorn. The Abbot is quite nervous about this year ritual. See what you can find." Theresa said as I past a woods and a lake and saw a temple on top of the hill. I could see hooded monks walking along the path. As I approached the temple on top of the hill I could overheard a conversation.

"But father the sacred text clearly states that only two monks may enter the cave and no one else." a monk said.

"I will not send my only child into unknown danger without any protection I will find an escort and that's the end of it." the Abbot said. I entered the room and cleared my throat getting the monks attention.

"Ah hello there my child." he said getting a look at me and put his hand to his chin to think. "I wonder….brothers leave us, let me get a good look at you." the Abbot said.

"My name is Hiccup father and I couldn't help but overhear your conversation, is there any possible way I could help?" I asked.

"Hmm armed and quite imposing but I can't just send anyone in there." he said.

"What is it that you are talking about father?" I asked.

"The holy ritual but I can't trust my community survival on a total stranger." he said.

"Perhaps I can prove myself?" I offered.

"Yes perhaps if you build up your reputation I'd be more inclined to trust you." he said.

"What do I need to do?" I asked.

"Rookridge has been having a horrible time with bandits lately, why don't you go to the tavern and see if you can do anything about them, it would be a good start." he said.

"Thank you father. I'll get on it right away." I said bowing in respect. I then left the temple with Toothless following behind.

"The Blessing must go forwards if you are to find the pilgrim; you must gain the Abbot favor. Perhaps you taking care of these bandits will impress him." Theresa said.

"What if getting the bandits isn't good enough?" I asked.

"The we will need to deal with that when the time comes. For now, return to the tavern." Theresa said. I soon returned to the tavern and heard a loud man talking.

"Oh dear oh dear oh dear how could this have happened?" I looked up to see a familiar looking man as I climbed up the stairs and he turned to me.


	4. A Bridge Too Far

A Bridge Too Far

"Why I remember you." the man said to me said.

"I'm sorry do I know you?" I asked, not sure as to who he was.

"It's me Barnum, you helped me with my picture taking business, not that it's didn't take off." he said with a sad tone.

"Oh I remember you. I'm sorry to hear that your business didn't take off." I said.

"Oh no it wasn't your fault. Well look at you, now a proper adventure. I bet you made that sister of yours very proud." he said.

"Yeah I hope so. Anyway what seems to be the problem? You don't seem all they happy." I asked quickly wanting to change the subject.

"Oh I made the deal of the century and bought the bridge in Rookridge and now the bloody thing falling apart and no one can even get close enough to repair it. Bandits you see Dash and his crew are causing a whole lot of trouble for me." he said.

"I can help out if you need it." I offered.

"You will? Oh that wondrous. Thank you. And if you come back alive I'll give you my trusty thesaurus." he said.

"Deal. Now it shouldn't take me too long to clear them out so I'll be back before you know it." I said.

"Please be careful. Theses villains are a dangerous lot." Barnum warned me as I made my way out of the tavern.

After I got to Rookridge the moon was shining in the sky. Toothless and I walked down the hill towards a tavern on a hill, to where I saw two bandits. We slowly snuck up to them where we could now hear them talking.

"Look someone coming." one said.

"We better tell the boss." the other said as they both took off to the tavern.

"Damn it." I cursed as Toothless and I quickly started ran after them towards the open doors to the tavern, as they closed behind me. I heard guns clicks above me. I looked up to see a man with goggles and a hook with men pointing guns at me.

"Get him!" he yelled as he ran off. His crew began shooting at me. Toothless and I quickly took cover behind the bar.

"Ok let see how they handle ghosts." I said hitting the ground. I heard the guns stop as the bandits were attack by Hobbe ghosts. I then jumped from the bar and ran up the stairs to see the dead guards and my ghost gone.

"Well that didn't last long." I commented as I headed threw the doors of the tavern and looked for their leader who was already across the lake on the mine tracks.

"You think you're going to catch me? Why do you think they call me Dash?! I could outrun the guards before I was out of nappies. What chance have you got?!" he yelled over to me before he took off again.

"Why the hell does he keep on leaving the dirty work?" I asked looking down to Toothless, who was gone. Panicking I looked around to see him chasing after Dash. "Good boy." I said running after Dash and Toothless. As I got to the top of the tracks I found it cover with bandits. I drew my sword and began to fight my way through large numbers of bandits. The fighting didn't last long and I quickly started to make my way to the forest area of the tracks and by a hill side, where I could now hear and see Dash and Toothless. I ran up the hill and saw several Stonehenge's on top the hill and saw Dash standing on one.

"Get lost you damn dog! Go chase a chain of sausages!" he yelled. I pulled my gun off and shot him off the Stonehenge.

"No one talked to my friend like that." I said to the lifeless body. Toothless ran over to Dash's dead body and then ran over to me where he brought me Dash goggles.

"Well done your actions continue to shape the world." Theresa said as me and Toothless made our way back to Oakfield.

After thirteen hours of walking back to Oakfield I returned and it was dark. I walked into the tavern I saw Barnum on top of the stairs in the spot I saw him in before. I jogged up the stairs towards him. He turned around and saw me.

"Ah the hero returns stupendous successes, jolly well done." he said.

"And here's my proof of Dash defeat." I said handing him Dash's goggles.

"Of course it turns out the deeds to the bridge weren't entirely genuine and the toll plan isn't going to work quite as plan, still at least it won't be me that has to rebuild the bridge." he said.

"Yeah I'm sure it will get fix soon." I encouraged him.

"Ok so I might be broke but I'll bounce back, always do, anyway here's my trust thesaurus as promised." he said handing me the book.

"Thanks to you, the way to Bowerstone in now open again." Theresa said. As I walked out of the tavern I saw lots of people staring at me and children coming up to me. "Almost everyone in Oakfield. Now return to Abbort at the Temple of Light." She told me. I made my way up the small hill once again and entered the Temple of light to see Abbort.


	5. The Hero of Strength: The Ritual

The Hero of Strength: The Ritual

"It's you; I prayed for your return. I heard what you did in Rookridge, I think you may be of great use to us." he said.

"Of course father. I'm glad I was able to prove myself." I said.

"Come walk with me awhile." he said as I followed him out the temple doors.

"Now nourishing the Golden Acorn is done with holy water from the well spring of light, but the spring is in a nearby cave which is said to be quite dangerous our sacred text says two monks must enter this cave. The strongest and a second of the Abbot choosing. Obviously this concerns me especially since our strongest monk here is my own child, so instead of a second monk I've chosen a protector for the first and that's you if you're interested." he explained to me.

"I'll do it, tell me where I'll find the cave and your child." I said as we stopped in front of a path with water and a mini waterfall leading to a bigger water that lead into the lake.

"The cave is just at the end of this road, you may have passed it on your way here. Our strongest monk will be waiting for you when you're ready. Now I must gather the others and prepare for the blessing." he said. I nodded to him and began to walk down the road.

"Our first hero awaits us, even if they don't yet realize it." Theresa said as I made my way to the cave. I then heard the most beautiful voice I've ever heard singing a song. I stopped and listened to the song.

"Down by the reeds, down by the reeds, swim the sirens of Oakvale, out to the seas, down by the reeds, down by the reeds, float the souls left unbroken, by White Balverines, down by the reeds, night-blooming weeds, embrace those who go dancing, in sad moonlit dreams, down by the reeds, a twisted path leads, to Banshees who breathe out, a cold winter breeze, nobody knows, nobody sees, the sirens of Oakvale, down by the reeds." she finished.

Just as I followed the voice I saw a young woman around my age sitting along a broken wall of the cave ruins drinking from a brown beer bottle. She had bright blond hair that was braided down her back and had a head band. She wore a bright blue shirt, with a brown skirt and purple legging underneath and brown boots. As I began to walk forward she turned and faced me. She must have heard me.

"I knew my lovely sing voice would bring the crowds." she said taking one last drink from the bottle before tossing the bottle aside and jump down to the ground. Toothless then approached her.

"So you're my escort then? My father said you'd be coming by." she said. Before I could say anything Toothless barked and the woman gasped and got to her knees.

"Hey there boy, hello, oh you're a strong handsome fellow aren't you?" she said in a baby talk as Toothless licked her face as she ruffled his fur.

"I'll feel better with you in that cave, yes I will." she said standing back up to face me.

"My name is Hiccup, and this is my friend Toothless." I said to her, gesturing Toothless and he walked back over to me.

"I'm Sister Astrid, some people think I have a temper when they think they're being clever, there not." she said in a stern voice. "But I can't do much about it since I made a vow not to bash anyone face in."

"Luck them I guess." I said sounding slightly nervous.

"Did my father mention that? Yeah, well whatever fighting is to be done in there is all yours." she said walking over to a large urn.

"We require a hero not a pacifist monk, we'll need her to find a reason to fight." Theresa said.

"What can we do?" I asked quietly.

"I don't mind telling you I'm a bit envies you get all the excitement while I lug this bloody thing like some short of mule. I mean look at it, it's enormous! Golden or not how much water does a bloody acorn need!" she said.

"I would carry it myself but I think that's against the rules." I said.

"Anyway, after you." she said. I walked down to the cave with Astrid following behind.

The inside of the cave wasn't as dark as Hiccup thought it was going to be. They were luck to have touches in there. Astrid helped pass the time with a small talk."It's amazing when you think about. No one's else has been down here for maybe a hundred years, well no monks anyway. I guess an adventurer or two could have come in but if they got out alive, I didn't hear about." she said as we entered a room where small orbs of lights floated above our heads.

"Look up there. They're lovely. I think they're called Wisp, souls of the dead that haven't left this world. It's actually rather sad isn't it?" she said.

"Yeah that is sad." I said thinking of Heather, wondering if she moved on from this world. We soon walked into a large room with three locked gates.

"Alright this should be the central chamber." Astrid said as I looked at the locked gate. "Wow I've never seen anything like this, ever." she said.

"How do we open it?" I asked.

"According to my father we need to go through these three doors in order to collect the water." she said as I looked at a plate on the ground that looked like the urn Astrid was carrying.

"Putting weight on the pressure plates should open the door. This one the first." Astrid said standing on the plate. The gears in the floor began to move and the gate opened as the torches lit up.

"There we go." Astrid said as we entered the long cave and found a room with a steep edge. "Alright so the plates require more and more weight as we go, luckily I've got something unbelievably heavy right here." she said. I looked over the edge to see nothing but fog at the bottom.

"We need to be careful. Who know's what's at the bottom." I warned Astrid.

"Bodies maybe, or even bones of the poor idiots that weren't careful." Astrid said. We soon reached a chamber with water on the floor.

"This must be the first room." I said.

"Now there should be two plates in this room. It will take both of us to get the water flowing." Astrid said as we climbed the stairs. She set up the urn down so it could catch the water.

"Now I'll stand here to catch the water and you need to stand on that one." she said pointing to the one next to her. I stepped on it and water fell to a statue and into the urn.

"Right there it goes, oh yeah I can fell this this getting even heavier." she said. "So far this isn't too bad, a couple of steep bits but that's it."

"Don't get to excited." I said.

"I really hope they find someone else to do this next time, mind you I'll be an old lady by then so I'll probably be off the hook." she said.

"I'm sure they will find someone." I said as I looked round the room.

"This is probably going to be the highlight of my life, the day I carried a heavy as jug threw a cave! Hardy epic poet stuff is it?" Astrid said. I could have sworn I just heard a moan. "Did you hear something? No probably just my imagination." she said as the water stopped falling.

"Maybe your right. Just be cautious." I warned her as I walking off my plate.

"Right I reckon this all the water we're going to get from this one." she said as we left the chamber. Just as Astrid and I began walking the way back a Wisp went to the ground and a hand burst out. Suddenly a decaying monster ross from it holding two cleavers as it roared at us with two white lights in its hollow head.

"Ah, this is the part where you come in right?" Astrid asked as I quickly drew my sword. After getting a couple of hits the Hollow Men crumbled into pieces. But then two more appeared from the ground.

"I didn't know they did that." Astrid commented. "They must be trying to protect the water." As soon as the two Hollow Men came near me I summoned a fireball in my hand "Inferno!" I said throwing the fireball into the ground, creating a fire ring around me. The Hollow Man burst into flames.

"How did you do that?" Astrid asked.

"No time. Come on we need to get back to the chambers." I said. We quickly continued to move up back to the central camber and the gate fell back down. Astrid, Toothless and I quickly catched our breaths.

"That was fantastic, those things didn't stand a chance." Astrid complemented. "Have you ever fought them before? It sure looked like you have that or you're a very fast learner." she said.

"A fast learner that had never fought those things before." I told her. Astrid looked behind her.

"I don't see any Wisps now and no Hollow Men followed us. Guess we're safe in here." she said making her way to the second pressure plate. As soon as she stepped onto it, it opened.

"Thankfully this must be the only place they can't follow us into." I said.

"Alright second door second plate." Astrid said. The gate began moving and we soon made our way into the second chamber where my plate was on top of the stairs while hers was directly in front of the gates.

"Right here the next one. I'll stand by the fountain to catch the water same as before." she told me as she began getting ready. I climbed the stairs and stepped on my pressure plate. The water began to fall fall again. "You would think they would have made this thing with a flat bottom. That way you could put it down to rest.

"I guess the people who made it didn't have good brain." I commented. It was at that point I spotted more Wisps.

"Wisps!" I yelled pulling out my gun.

"Oh bugger here they come!" Astrid said as Hollow Men began to rise from the ground. I used my Inferno spell and gun to keep them away from her.

"Anytime now water!" I said hitting another Hollow Man with Inferno.

"We're nearly there." Astrid said as the fountain finally stopped. "Good, back to the central chamber then. There should be one room left to go, so were nearly finished." she said as we ran back into the chamber.

"This is usually the point where the ground falls out from under your feet, be cautious." Theresa warned me as we made it to the chamber.

"What in the world was that? Are you ready for whatever the hell that was." Astrid said as we walked over to the last gate.

Astrid then stepped on it but it only opened a little bit but was big enough for Toothless to sneak under and run off ahead. "Where on earth? Hey come back who knows what's on the other side!" Astrid yelled as Toothless disappeared around the corner.

"Toothless, get back her you fur bone!" I yelled as he didn't come back.

"You think he's all right?" she asked.

"Yeah Jake is a tuff dog he'll be fine." I said as he didn't come back.

"Ok I'm getting worried now." Astrid said with a worried tone.

"Come on, bud." I whispered. I then saw Toothless return with something in his jaw as he came back under the gate.

"What you got there?" Astrid asked as Toothless dropped a Hollow Man head in front of me and Astrid "Oh! That's disgusting!" Astrid said.

"Yuck." I said as I kicked the head away. Toothless put his head down.

"Oh no, you're a good dog for attacking him." Astrid said as I petted his head.

"Good boy bud." I said feeding him a dog biscuit. Astrid then began to baby talk again.

"Who's a good boy? Who tares the heads off Hollow Men? Is it you, is it you boy?" She said as I laughed a little. "Quite a companion you got there, remind me not to let him lick me again." she said as the gate opened fully.

"I'll try and remember that." I said to her.

"Good, shall we?" she said began to enter the last chamber.

"Keep an eye out for the Wisps and Hollow Men." I told her. We entered the last room and the gate closed behind us and Hollow Men began to appear everywhere.

"Okay, come on bud!" I said pulling my sword out as Toothless began helping me take down Hollow Men.

After fighting off over twenty Hollow Men, no more of them appeared but the gates remained closed as a very large Hollow Man with no head and wearing armor appeared with two cleavers.

"Oh my, you can get us out of here can't you?" Astrid asked as the Hollow Man took a swing in her direction.

"Shhhh" I told her. I moved behind the Hollow Man and blasted it with Infurno. The Headless Hallow Man then quickly turned and swung at me, but I quickly took my sword and cut its hands clean off. I then saw a blue light forming where it's head should be and was thrown back into the wall by lighting.

"It can use Will?" I exclaimed.

"Be careful!" Astrid said as the Hallow Man looked in her direction.

"Inferno!" I said using a much more powerful spell then before as the Hollow Man turned back into bones.

"Whew glad that's over, I was really worried for a moment, well several moments actually." Astrid said as the gates opened.

"Yeah so was I." I said putting my sword back onto my back.

"I…thank you, you were brilliant, On we go then." she said as we went into the last chamber. "This is it this is the final room we should be nearly done now. I know I've said that before but hopefully this time it true." Astrid said going to the hole in the ground.

"I think that the last plate over there." she said pointing to where I go. I moved towards it and Astrid got ready. Just as I stepped on the last plate a light shined down on Astrid as she began the ritual.

"Lords of Light bless this water so with it we may give rise to new life once more, as new life rises so shall we." Astrid said as the light shined onto the urn. Suddenly the gate above us began to open and a monk came running into the room panting. "Sister Astrid!" she said putting her hands on her knees.

"Sister Gothi? what is it?" She asked while she set the jar down and I followed her up the steps.

"It's your father...one of Drago's men...he's holding him hostage at the temple...he got a gun!" she said. Astrid beat me to the top.

"I have to save my father!" she said breaking off a large axe from a statue.

"Okay let's go." I said heading up the steps.

"Come on we have to get to the temple!" she said running off without me.

"Astrid wait!" I yelled.

"One of Drago's agents has come to the temple, go after her." Theresa said as I ran after Astrid.

Once outside it was dark and raining. Astrid had already made it halfway up the hill. "Astrid wait!" I yelled jumping down from the exit to the cave and ran up the hill and could hear what was happening inside the temple.

"Father, are you ok?" Astrid asked as I made it halfway.

"He's one of Drago's men." the Abbot said.

"You're coming with me or he dies." a man said in a dark voice.

"Like hell I am, you let him go before I cut you half!" Astrid yelled. I suddenly heard a loud gunshot.

"No!" Astrid yelled as I almost reached the temple doors.

"Don't make me kill you to." the man said. I looked through the doorway and saw him pointing a gun at Astrid. Astrid swung her axe back as the man shot her in the shoulder and she sliced his neck. He fell to the floor, dead.

I walked through the temple doors and up to Astrid who had fell to her knees before her father, lying in a pool of blood and began to cry covering her face with her hands.

"Father...I could have stopped him!" she cried as she began to cry louder. "you idiot! You stupid fool!" she yelled. "I could have stopped him before he..." she said as she began sobbing even hard. I got down on my knees and brought Astrid's head to my shoulder as I let her cry.

After the rain had cleared and the sun was up, we buried the Abbot on a hill as the Golden Acorn stood on top of the Abbot grave as a new root grew from it. Astrid was on her knees directly in front of me as she apologized to her father as me Toothless and two monks made our last goodbyes.

"I'm sorry father, not that I broke my vow I'm sorry I didn't break it sooner. I never did fit in with this place, we both knew that, and now I'm making a new vow. Drago will die for what he did to you, I won't break this one." Astrid promised.

"Sister Astrid, the blessing." one of the monks said. Astrid got up from her spot and didn't make eye contact with anyone.

"You do it." she said walking over to the edge of the hill and looked out towards the sea.

"As new life rises so shall we, as the seed returns to the earth, so do we all." he said. They left me and Astrid, who turned to them and yelled.

"So that's it then? My father gone, the Golden Oak is flourishing again, so life just goes on as before does it!" She yelled. Before I could say anything Theresa appear beside her.

"The other monks may believe that, but your eyes have been opened." Theresa said as Astrid eyes grew wide and faced Theresa.

"Where did you come from? Who are you?" Astrid asked as Theresa raised her hand.

"Someone who can tell you much about Drago and where he is and what his plans are, and how you can gain your revenge. If you will listen." Theresa said.

"I want to know everything!" Astrid growled.

"Then come with me, Sister Astrid." Theresa said holding out her hand for Astrid to take.

"Call me Astrid!" Astrid said taking Theresa hand as they both disappeared.

"I've taken Astrid to the guild, you done well Hiccup; you have gathered the first of the three heroes and we are now one step closer to defeating Drago plans, it will take some time for Astrid to overcome her grief." Theresa said.

"I know." I said walking down the hill.

"And longer to explain her role in Drago's downfall." Theresa said.

"I know I think I'll take care of a few things before I return to the guild." I said.

"Come back to the guild when you are ready" Theresa said told me. I looked down at Toothless.

"How about we have a walk around and get something to eat, eh bud?" Toothless barked. I smiled and began to walk away. I quickly stopped and looked at the grave. "I will protect your daughter. You have my word."


	6. The Hero of Will: Brightwood Tower

The Hero of Will: Brightwood Tower

Back at the guild Theresa and Astrid were waiting for me as Toothless and I entered the room. We walked up to the two woman. They both turned to me.

"There you are. I believe the second of our heroes the Mage is in Brightwood. There is a powerful Will User there named Eret." Theresa said. I remembered hearing that name before. It was 10 years ago.

"Do you remember that name? He was there the night Drago kill Heather." Theresa said.

'That's right! The guy with the glowing blue veins.' I thought. I nodded to her.

"You didn't tell me that. How are we supposed to trust him?" Astrid asked.

"Eret believed that Drago interest in the Old Kingdom was purely academic like his own, and Drago for his part thought Eret was a brilliant scholar. When each learned the truth about the other their partnership ended violently." Theresa said she returned her attention to me.

"You will find Eret in Brightwood Tower. I've seen a vision of him toiling away on some ancient technology there. Surely he attends to stop Drago, but he can't not do so without help, go and inform him of our intent." Theresa said looking towards Astrid.

"Astrid, you should remain here." she said as Astrid looked at Theresa.

"Why? I'm ready." Astrid said.

"Astrid it would be safer if I go alone. Now that we know Drago is searching for heros, who know what he will do if he get hold of one of us." I told her.

"Fine but don't think you're holding me back when the action starts." she said taking a seat on the edge of the broken floor. I looked to Theresa.

"You should go now." she said to me. I nodded and walked over to the Cullis Gate and return to Bower Lake. Once I reached the Brightwood area and the tower could be seen. I made my way down as I sensed something dark.

"Someone or something is coming your way, I've never felt anything like it." Theresa said.

"That can't be good." I said reaching the gates. I continued to make my way to the tower.

Once I was closer to the tower I spot a large triangular shaped black object in the sky heading towards Eret's tower.

"What the hell is that thing?" I said as I reached the steps to the tower. The floating object shot two white lightning bolts to the ground as two circles formed on top of the stairs and at the bottom as men in black suite and wearing red collars began to appear.

"Drago men are attacking. You must save Eret!" Theresa said as the Spire Guards pulled out swords and began to attack me. I drew my sword and ran towards them ready to fight.

Every time I killed a Spire Guard their collars would glow blue before they died. As soon as they were all dead. I reached the entrance of the tower and began heading up the stairs fighting off all the guards that got in my path. I soon reached the top and found a Cullis Gate and another tower with smoking coming from the tower with another giant shard floating on its side.

"Oh crap!" I said heading towards the tower as a flaming board fell to the ground in front of me. I could hear Eret arguing with someone.

"I'm never going back there, you hear me!" Eret yelled as I ran up the steps.

"You're wrong!" a man with a deformed voice said as I reached the top but was blocked from Eret and his attacker by a wall of fire as I saw Blades floating above Eret head. I saw a man with thorns coming out of his pale white head as he held a evil looking sword at his side.

"You think I'm afraid of you! You're a freak! Drago failed experiment, nothing more!" Eret yelled.

"You left too soon Eret, Lord Drago experiment was a radical success!" the man yelled hitting Eret with the Shock spell. Eret fell to his knees in pain.

"You are coming with me!" the man yelled. The shard hit Eret and the man with a white bolt and they were both taken away.

"Damn it!" I yelled kicking the burning cabinet in front of me.

"There was nothing you could do that was Drago's Commandant, Viggo, and now he apparently controls a Shard, an Old Kingdom weapon of great power. Drago's strength grows ever more formable as does his mastery at the Spire and it's awful machinery. Come back to the Guild." Theresa said. I gave once last kick in the cabinet before walking away from the tower and back to the Guild.


	7. The Diary

The Dairy

Toothless and I made our way back to the Guild where Astrid and Theresa were waiting for us.

"Sounded like you needed my help after all. I knew I should have come." Astrid said.

"We cannot allow Drago to keep Eret. You must get him out of there." Theresa said.

"There being the Spire? We don't even know what's inside that thing and much less how to get there." Astrid said.

"There is one who might know, when Drago left for the Spire he eventually abandoned his staff, his old butler Savage now spends his days at the Cow & Corset." Theresa said.

"His butler? I bet he saw his fair share of dirty dealings, well if it means a trip to the pub will just have to make that sacrifice." Astrid said.

"The task requires tack and delicacy, something I believe you are unfamiliar with Astrid." Theresa said as Astrid waited for her to finish with a waiting expression.

"Why are you staring at me?" Theresa asked.

"This is the part where you say no offence" Astrid said. "Hmm looks like you are on your own again." She said.

"You should leave now." Theresa said. I walked away from the pair and used the Cullis Gate to leave the Guild.

Once I arrived in Bowerstone I went into the pub where I headed to the bar tender who was washing a glass "what can I do you for?" he asked.

"I'm looking for Savage. Know where I might find him?" I asked.

"Upstairs first door last room on the on the left." he said. I made my way and found a door wide open as I heard Savage voice.

"For a thousand I could by a house." he said. I walked into the room. He looked up at me.

"I see you, well, well, well, another offer, dear me, so many inquisitive minds, so many who wish to know Lord Drago's dirty little secrets, well everything you want to know is written down and I know where and here is something else that's written down, my price, don't let anyone else see it." he said handing me a paper that said.

"1000 gold."

"It's my final offer take it or leave it. Drago's Diary is a riveting read I assure I'm sure some private collector will make a nice place for it in his equally private home, now unless you want a proposition you can leave me to my whisky." he said.

"Fine here." I said handing him one thousand gold in a small bag.

"My thanks, it's a juicy little collection I assure you, you won't forget it! I've buried Drago's Diary for safe keeping, this is the map to its location." he said giving me a map that was actually readable.

"I would help you find it but I have some money to spend ha, ha, ha." he said leaving me.

"He's far too cowardly to double-cross you. The map will lead you to the diary." Theresa said. I followed the map to Bower Lake.

Once I reached the spot on the map right next to Hero Hill as I saw a dirt spot where the map said the diary was buried. As I walked up to the spot a large monster came from the ground and roared at me with nerves on part of its body.

"What the hell is that?" I said, taking my gun and shooting at it. It hit one of the monster nerves making the monster roared in pain. Realising that is what I need to hit, I quickly took cover behind a tree and began to shoot at it again. After about five minutes I hit the trolls final nerve and it finally roared in pain as it sank back into the earth.

I let out a sigh of relief before heading over to the dirt spot and pulled my spade out. I began to dig in the spot, with Toothless's help. I soon saw the dairy. I pulling the dairy from the ground and opened the first page to see it written in a strange writing.

"Good work but it will do you little good without translation. Bring it back to the Guild." Theresa told me. I put the dairy away and headed back to the Guild.


	8. Road To Westcliff

Road of Westcliff

Once Toothless and I reached the Guild, Astrid and Theresa were standing waiting for me.

"Welcome back I trust finding the diaries weren't too difficult. Now bring it to me. I'll translate it for you." Theresa said to me. I handed her the diary and she placed it on the table. She stared at it.

"You can read that? But your eyes are...you know" Astrid said.

"I can see other worlds instead of this one" Theresa said.

"And in other worlds you can see? I don't understand." Astrid said.

"Shhhhh" Theresa said as her eyes went slightly wide.

"Westcliff! Drago is recruiting guards in Westcliff." Theresa answered.

"Oh C'mon, Westcliff's a dump, it's full of brawler and thugs the only thing there is that arena." Astrid said.

"The Crucible. Those who win it are physically tough and mentally weak, Drago is recruiting the winners as guards. You must enter the Crucible in Westcliff and emerge from it victorious. It is the only way into the Spire, the only way to get to Eret and rescue him." Theresa said.

"Finally some action! I'll meet you by the bandit road in Brightwood, last one there is a rotten Hobbe!" Astrid said entering the Cullis Gate as I stood next to Theresa.

"This research was proven valuable. Now you should go after her before her enthusiasm wears off, though I wonder if it ever does." Theresa said as Walter chuckled a little.

"I'm sure she not that bad." I said before Toothless and I entered the Cullis gate.

Once Toothless and I had caught with Astrid she was waiting by the entrance to the Bandit Coast with her axe over her shoulder and foot tapping on the ground.

"What did you get a job? Buy a house? I've been here for ages." she complained.

"Sorry I took so long." I apologised.

"Right let's go." Astrid said as we began to walk into the entrance.

As we made our way to the Bandit Coast which took and entire day but we soon reached it.

"Drago's writings are much in there that might interest you, when you have time. For now press on to Westcliff." Theresa said.

"Sounds like a good light reading but for me I'd prefer some action." Astrid said as we reached sharp pointy logs surrounding the area. I suddenly saw bandits running down the road. "Speaking of which. Here we go!" Astrid said swinging her axe I drew my swords.

Once the fighting was over Astrid let out a breath, as did I. "Wow. That was... it was incredible. I've never experienced anything like that before." She said. "I mean, I was scared out of my mind for most of it but... it was exciting too. I bet its like that for you all the time, isn't it?"

"No when you're literally fighting for your life, it ain't." I told her. Once we past four more bandit filled camps we reached a large wood bridge and directly ahead we found the bandits stronghold.

"This must be the infamous barricade, doesn't look that tough." Astrid said.

"Then how do you suggest we get through?" I asked her.

"Well you could bast it down with your Will powers, or..." she said smashing the wall down with one loud yelled and swing of her axe. The bandits and highwaymen stood on the other side.

"Boss we can't stop them, what should we do?" a bandit asked.

"Stand and fight you cowardly naves." a highwayman said as the bandit began to attack.

"Charge!" Hammer yelled as we ran head on into the bandits. We began to fight the large number of bandits and highwaymen.

After we cleared the camp of its evil men we made our way to that path to Westcliff..

"Westcliff here we come!" Astrid said with an eager voice.

Once we reached a very dark forest area with an uneasy presence. Toothless stood close to us as we made our way down the dirt path.

"I've heard a lot of stories about Westcliff." Astrid said.

"Really? Like what?" I asked.

"This place is supposed to be infested with Balverines." Astrid said.

"Balverines?! They don't sound to nice." I said as I kept an eye on our surrounding.

"I heard this one story about these traders who got attacked, Balverines killed both parents but the kids survived. A slaver found the poor things, took them back to his camp and locked them up in a cage, that night the kids turned, broke out of the cage a ripped every slaver in the camp to shreds. Really makes you think doesn't it?" Astrid said.

"Yeah I guess it does." I said as we continued to walk and I spot one Balverine on a stone hedge as all of us stopped in our tracks.

"There's one of the bloody things right there!" Astrid said as the Balverine roared at us and jumped into the air and out of sight.

"Come on!" She said as we approached the Stonehenge and spotted no Balverine.

"Bugger, it ran off, maybe it was afraid of us?" Astrid suggested. I shook my head.

"No way. Those things are definitely not afraid of us. It must be hiding from us." I said as we approached the Stonehenge and two Balverine appeared on the sides. Astrid and I both took a Balverine each. It took about two minutes until we we able to kill them.

"Astrid, are you alright?" I asked as I walked over to her. She nodded her head.

"I spent my whole life praying and meanwhile the world was just as dangerous as ever. But now this stretch of road is a little bit safer because of us." Astrid said.

"I'm glad you feel that way." I said to her. We began to walk down the hill, but were soon greeted by two more Balverine that came from the woods. Astrid luckily didn't get caught off and smash her axe into a Balverine face and bashed it against a tree splattering it's blood on the road. I used my Force Push to hit the Balverine on its back as I used Blades to kill the beast as we all looked around for more of those things.

"We better hurry before more arrive." I said as we continued on the path. Suddenly we heard a woman scream.

"Someone in trouble, we got to help her, come on!" Astrid said as we ran up the path. I soon saw a woman ahead. We approached the woman.

"Are you alight?" Astrid asked.

"Balverines attacked us! They killed my husband, they killed my Frederick." she said. I looked down next to her to see a bloody man on the floor. He was dead.

"Don't worry you're safe with us." Astrid told her said.

"They took my son!" the woman said.

"Can you show us where they took him?" Astrid asked.

"I think so." the woman said. We began to head to some ruin in the distances as more Balverines began to appear.

"Just stay back Ms. we'll handle this!" Astrid said as we began to attack the creatures.

After the last of the Balverines fell dead, we continued down the path as the woman started to get frantic.

"You don't think they've killed him do you?" she asked.

"I'm sure he's alright, we'll find him." Astrid said with uncertainty in her eyes. We approached a large ruins as I saw three Balverines looking down at us but not attacking.

"Why aren't they attacking us?" Astrid asked.

"No idea, but something doesn't feel right about this place." I said as the woman spoke.

"This is where they took him." she said.

"Don't worry. I'm sure he's still inside." I said watching the Balverines closely as we walked in and found a staircase leading to a tomb below us.

"You won't let anything happen to him will you?" the woman asked.

"I'm sure he's alright, just don't get too far ahead, you need to stay with us." Astrid said as I saw the shadow of a Balverine on the wall as it ran off.

"Oh but my poor little Robert." the woman said.

"I know, but you won't be able to help him if you get eaten will you? Who knows what could be waiting for us down here, we've got to be careful." Astrid said as we walked along the broken hall.

"Something doesn't feel right." I said,

"Why the road have to go through a place like this is beyond me, couldn't they have cut down a few trees instead?" Hammer said. We soon entered a large room with the torn bodies of innocent people on the ground. Across the room was out exit on the other side of a spike pit. Balverines stood on top of pillars looking down at us as the doors closed behind us as I could smell the rotting stench of death in this room.

"What is this place?" Astrid asked as the woman stood a few feet away from us as she lifted her hands.

"Children I bring you flesh!" she said in a deep voice as she jumped into the air like the Balverines and a few Balverines began to jump from the pillars.

"She their mother!" I yelled we began to fight off the Balverines. After the first lot were dead we began heading to the pit. I quickly began to looked for an escape.

"We have to find a way out of here or were dead!" Astrid yelled.

"She's right, show no mercy and get out of that place quickly." Theresa said as I looked for a way across.

"I can't see anything past that pit, there must be something we can do." Astrid said as more Balverines began to enter the room. I then looked up to a very weak looking pillar.

"Astrid, do you see what I see?" I asked. She looked at the pillar.

"Oh I see it, that pillar looks weak, alright one bridge coming right up, just keep those nasty buggers of me." Astrid said slamming her axe into the pillar. I quickly began to fight off last of the Balverines as a large White Balverine entered the room and spoke in a deep voice.

"You killed my children! You will suffer!" She said as she came running towards us. I quickly used Time Control to slow her down. I took my sword and stabbed my sword threw her heart and used Force Push to send her into the spike pit. Astrid grunted as she pushed her axe against the pillar and it came down into the pit making us a bridge.

"Nice going Astrid." I said.

"Let's go. We're leaving." she said still a little shaken up by this whole ordeal. We made our way through the rest of the tomb. We soon reached a large room and began to walk up the stairs where there was a door standing in the wall. We opened the door and soon and exited the tomb.

"We made it! You did good back there." Astrid said to me. I looked at her and nodded.

"So did you." I said. I then looked down and saw a cut on her arm. "Astrid, what happened to your arm?" I asked. Astrid looked down at her wound.

"Oh, I cut myself while trying to bring down the pillar. Its nothing." She said shaking it of. I shook my head and took her arm.

"It's not nothing." I talk her as I took a bandage out and began to wrap it round her arm. Once it was done I tied it off.

"Thanks." She said to me, looking down.

"Don't mention it." I said to her. We began to walk down a path way and soon we saw a large building in front of us.

"Many have died in their attempt to defeat the Crucible, but defeat it you must if you are to have any hope to join Drago's army and getting to Eret." Theresa said as we approached the gates where two men who were fighting. We walked past them and through the little camp. We walked up the stairs to the Crucible at the top two men stood in front of the doors. One began to speak.

"Look Ryker another group of nobodies trying to get into the Crucible, doesn't anybody know that you have to be famous to fight here?" a man said.

"Terribly sorry but I'm afraid this is a rather brutal business, and it's not just the blood spurting decapitation. People only pay to see the big names like Ervin the Strangle Gibbons." Ryker said.

"Not a bunch of unknowns." the man said.

"Oh yeah and what's your name?" Astrid asked the man on the right.

"Me? Everyone knows me, I'm Alvin the Treacherous" he said.

"Best Crucible fighter back in his day." Ryker said.

"A bit redundant isn't it?" Astrid said.

"What? What do you mean?" Alvin asked.

"Well why do you need the strangler part if your already a Mad-Dog?" Astrid asked.

"Well it's intimidating." Alvin said.

"Seems confusing to me. I mean I get Ervin the Strangle Gibbons it tough it up a bit doesn't it? But it's not like Mad-Dog your given name." Astrid pointed out.

"You know I never given thought about it before, but she got a point." Ryker said.

"No she doesn't, look if you really want to compete, go make a name for yourself so the crowed can actually give a flying-" Alvin said.

"Luck, that's all you need. Just a bit of luck and you'll be famous in no time." Ryker said.

"No way I'm letting that friend of yours in, she can stay out here and make fun of my name all she likes." Alvin said.

"Impressive display Astrid. You managed to alienate the very men which favor we need." Theresa said.

"Only one of them." Astrid said crossing her arm.

"Hiccup, you need to find a way to impress those men, there are still many people in the world that needs your help." Theresa said.

"Well, I guess I better get out there and get some work done." I sad as I walked down the stairs with Astrid.

"If you don't mind, I think I'll sit this one out. Maybe go get a drink at the pub." Astrid said looking over at the pub.

"Anything to not have you make fun of Alvin in front of him." I said to her. Astrid laughed and walked off before saying good-bye. Toothless and I then started to walk round the town in search of people in distress. It was at that moment I heard and gun shot go of and laugher of what must have been bandits. "Duty calls."


	9. The Crucible

The Crucible

Once helping out a couple of people I decided to returned to Westcliff, where I saw that Astrid was waiting by the stairs to the Crucible as I approached her. "Good luck in there." she said, giving me a hug. I hugged her back.

"Thank, I'm gonna need it." I said as I walked up the steps with Toothless following behind. I approached Alvin and Ryker.

"Well look who it is, a Crucible contender if I ever saw one." Ryker said.

"You been causing quite the commotion haven't you, everyone knows who you are." Alvin said.

"There hasn't been so much buzz about a competitor since Knockout Nora, remember her Alvin?" Ryker asked.

"Yeah...point is you earned your place in the Crucible parade of almost certain death." Alvin said.

"She could knock me out anytime that Nora, what ever became of her?" Ryker asked.

"Make sure you gear it up before you go in, our fans get upset when our fighters die to quickly." Alvin said.

"But if you live, you become a legend and you'll be a shoo in for Drago's army." Ryker said.

"Go in then but the dog got to stay outside." Alvin said. I looked down to Astrid.

"Watch Toothless for me please." I yelled.

"You got it! Come here boy!" Astrid yelled as Toothless ran down to her. I then entered the Crucible.

Once I stepped onto the blood covered battle field. "Round One, three, two, one, go!" the announcer said as the field began to be filled with Giant Beetles. I used ultimate Vortex to send on the beetles flying into the walls.

"That was amazing and he set a new record!" the announcer said as the doors to the second ring opened.

"To easy." I said.

After fighting seven rounds of Hobbes, Hollow Men, Balverines, and Bandits I made my way into the last match, to which a Troll covered in rocks emerged from the ground.

"Can you believe it Alvin? He's made it to the final round against the mighty Rock Troll!" Ryker said as I drew my gun.

I used Time Control to stop time as I shot all the nerves of the Troll before it could have a chance to attack. It quickly died and the fans cheered.

"Ladies and gentlemen, three cheers for our winner, Hiccup!" Ryker shouted as I picked up the trophy and held it in the air. I made my way to the Cullis Gate to return to the entrance.

Outside Ryker and Alvin congratulated me. "three cheers for the Crucible Champion!" Ryker yelled.

"And that was something else, best Crucible in years!" Alvin said.

"A classic performance that will be remembered for all time, or at least, as long as there are people around to remember it." Ryker said.

"Thanks, now excuse me." I said as I made my way to Astrid, who had Toothless waiting for me at the bottom.

"That was fantastic!" Astrid said. "I listened to the commentaries every step of the way. I even got to see a few rounds. The one withe the hobbes... bloody brilliant!"

"I'm glad you enjoyed the fight." I said to her.

"Well done not many make it through the Crucible alive." Theresa said.

"The Spire is not much of a laugh either. You should take a time out before you go, anybody you want to see or anything now the time. Anyway I'll make my way to the docks, so you'll know where to find me when you're all set to go." Astrid said as she began to walk away.

"Astrid has a good point, once you are in the Spire leaving will be difficult." Theresa said.

"Hey wait up." Astrid stopped and turned around. "There's nothing need doing. Might as well get going." I said to her. She nodded and we both began to walk down to the docks.

"So you ready to start your glorious military career then?" Astrid asked.

"Ready as I will ever be I guess." I said.

"Well here I am to say my goodbyes. You know what the last thing I said to my father before I went to the ritual cave?" She asked.

"What was it?" I asked.

"I can't remember. I can't remember if I said goodbye that morning or not. That's the funny thing about goodbyes you'll never know if you'll get another one." Astrid said.

"Astrid. I promise we will have another goodbye to say to each other." I told her as we stopped walking.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean...this isn't like that, you'll do great out there." she said. I smiled at her. We soon reached the boat and the captain spoke to me.

"Right no personal effect allowed on board or weapons and epically no dogs." he said eyeing Toothless who whimpered.

"Don't worry I'll look after fur face here and your stuff as well." Astrid said. I handed her everything but the clothes I wore. I looked to Toothless and petted his head. I knelt down in front of him.

"Don't worry bud. I will be back before you know it. I promise." I said to him. He began to lick my face. "Ahh Toothless. You know that does- you know what? I don't care." I said to him.

"Come on, get a move on. Tide won't wait." The captain said. I stood up. I looked at Astrid.

"I'll see you soon." I told her. She move closer to me and punched me in the arm.

"Ow, what was that for?" I asked her as I clenched my now bruised arm.

"For having to leave me." She told me. Before I could say anything she grabbed my top and brought her lips onto mine. I look at her in shock for a second before she pull away.

"And that was for...?" I asked her.

"For you to know when you come back." She told me. I wrapped my arms round her and gave her a quick her.

"Come on." The captain complained. I pulled away from her and gave her one last smile before turning away and walking onto the ship. I soon watched my friends on the beach slowly disappear and I moved closer to finding our second hero.


	10. The Spire

The Spire

The boat ride was long but as the black tower in the distances got bigger the power I could sense in it was stronger than I thought it would be. We soon landed in the docks a man with blond hair in dreadlock began to talk.

"Just look at this place. We done well with casting in the lot for Drago." he said.

"Yeah it's something." I said.

"Well whatever Drago's planning, me and Ruffnut will be set for life." he said. The guards behind us began yelled.

"Get moving!" he yelled as we moved.

"You're married?" I asked.

"No. She's my sister. My twin sister actually. We both look the same." he said.

"What's she like?" I asked.

"She's mad. Daring but a good sister. Names Tuffnut by the way." he said. I can't use my real name here with Drago around. I have to come up with a different name.

"I'm Sven." I said thinking of the first name at the top of my head. I then out of nowhere could hear and feel a vibration under my feet.

"What is that noise? I don't just hear it... it can feel it. This places feels wrong." Tuff said. As we walked forward more I can see a man standing just ahead of us. Its him. The man that haunted my nightmares for ten years. He stood before me and looked completely different.

His hair still black but now longer. And it was braided. He also had a beard which was also braided. His face looked slightly wider. He stood powerfully before us.

"The world outside these marvels walls is a corrupt rotting husk. Reason is absent. Instead of order there's only chaos. Chaos does not punish evil, nor rewards righteousness. Chaos cuts down innocent lives short - we except this as fate. I beg to differ. You stand in the center of a great instrument of change. With it I will remake this world. And my creation shall be unrecognizable in its perfection. But my will alone in not sufficient for such a momentous task. It is only through your toil, through your labors threw your convictions that Albion will be transformed. Do not fear the sounds you hear or the throbbing beneath your feet. These sensations will soon be familiar as your own heartbeat. And so along as your heart continues to beat, all that I require is obedience. Now sleep." Drago said. Suddenly a white light came down and I fell into darkness..

 **Week 1**

When I awoke I realised that I was asleep. I looked down to see that I was sleeping in the sleeping barracks on a matt when a spire guard came in. I awoke quickly and got to my feet.

"Morning maggot, welcome to the Spire. Hope you like it because you're never leaving." he said.

'That's what you think.' I thought.

"Right now you're in the barracks. You'll eat and sleep here and the rest of the time you will work where ever the Commandant assigns you. Your job is to keep the scum building this place in line and otherwise doing whatever the Commandant tells you without question. When you receive an order you will obey it immediately. Which brings me to that new piece of jewelry you got." he said. I looked down and saw the collar around my neck.

"The collar is a part of Lord Drago's obedient program. The Commandant will explain it to you." he said. "Main thing is do as you're told, and don't try taking the collar off because you can't. The penalty for even trying is death. And not the quick and painless kind either." he said.

"Now report to the Commandant." he said. I began to make my way out of the barracks and went along the path till I reach the prisoner area where I saw Tuff who wore exactly the same as me. I then noticed that his head had been shaved.

"Hey it's you, we arrived together remember?" he asked.

"Yeah I remember. Tuff right?" I said. He nodded

"How are you settling in?" he asked.

"It ok." I said as we began to past the rows of cages and starving slaves.

"Can you believe they put me on guard duty and on the first day too, I must have really impressed someone." he said.

"Lucky you." I said.

"If only Ruff could see me now. She always would make fun of me when wearing something funny like this. It looks really intimidating and I can hardly breathe in that thing." he said. We soon passed as cage with a standing shirtless Eret.

I then felt Eret invade my mind as we had a silent conversation.

"I don't know how you got here, but I know what you are. It doesn't matter. Your power will do you no good as long as you wear that collar. Be patient." he said. I then started to hear Tuff talking.

"But he doesn't give me any trouble, do you?" he said directly at Eret who didn't respond. "Keeps nice and quiet. Anyway I can't wait to write to sis, tell her all about it. Maybe I'll do that tomorrow." he said.

"I would really like to stay and chat but the Commandant wants to see me. I'll see you later Tuff." I said making my way a large door. I felt something very powerful coming from the other side. I entered it to see he very man who kidnapped Eret. His back was turned to me and held a sword in his hand. He then turned around.

"I am the Commandant, Viggo. You are recruit 273. That number is not random. It was assigned to you because I have broken 272 recruits before you. You are nothing more than the next link in the chain. You have been brought here to oversee the reconstruction of the Tattered Spire, and to serve Drago as he see fits. My job is to ensure the obedience of guards like you. You will do everything I say without question, failure to obey will cause the device around your neck to activate. This is not a pleasant experience. You will lose your Will power and your memories and your experiences will be drained away. This will continue until you submit. Perhaps you believe that you will resist. Some do at first. A misguided sense of personal honor. You must decide, is your honor really that important to you?" he said walking to the window and looked to me.

"Now come here, obey me." he said. I knew I had to obey him for now. I did as I was told and I approached him.

"Good now look over there." he said. I looked out the window to see a ship bring in new recruits.

"The Spire has taken ten years to complete so far and will take many more till it's complete. This project ambitions goes beyond your wildest imaginations. Yet our progress is not a miracle. It is a product of obedience let us see how well you have learned. I'm going to hit you and you are going to thank me, because I tell you to." he said before hitting me painfully at my side leaving a gash in my arm. I grunted in pain.

"Now thank me, obey!" he yelled.

"Thank you sir." I said threw gritted teeth as he hit me again creating another gash.

"Thank me for your pain, obey!" He said as it got harder to control myself.

"Thank you for my pain." I said a little louder.

He then hit me one more time. "Now once more thank me obey!" He said.

"Thank you sir." I said.

"Excellent, now beg, beg me to show mercy. You do understand the concept don't you?" he said.

"Please show me mercy sir." I said. I really wish I had my sword and Will powers right now.

"You learn quickly, that will be all." the Commandant said as I left the chambers and went to dress my wounds.

 **Week 38**

Over the weeks I would look out to the tower where I first arrived. The Spire had grown taller. I could only imagine what it's going to look like when it is complete.

"The Commandant made me torture a new recruit this morning. He overheard the poor bastard say he missed his family. I'm glad I don't have a family." Tuff said as his eyes went slightly wide.

"What is it Tuff?" I asked.

"I just had a strange...maybe it's the collar it's hard to think with these things on. You know I hardly notice it anymore it is familiar as my own heartbeat." he said starting to sound like a brainwashed soldier. Another guard approached us. Tuff saluted.

"You have orders to report to the barracks." he said to Tuff.

"On my way sir." Tuff said as he began to walk away. The head guard then turned to me.

"Recruit 273 report to the Detention Center." he said.

"Yes sir." I said making my way to the guard in charge of the Detention Center but stopped in front of Eret's cage.

"Be patient. Time has no meaning here. Stay strong." he said. I soon reached the head guard who was yelling at a begging slave who was begging for food.

"Shut it! Oh there you are. Stand here and guard these maggots till I get back. There aren't allowed any food though, so don't touch the control or you'll be sorry." he said.

"Yes sir." I said as the guard turned to the slave.

"I'm going to grab a quick bit, tasty food, yum, yum." he said mocking the poor slaves. He left and I was alone with slaves who were begging for food.

The goodness in me was to overwhelming and I flipped the switch on the first cage the minute they began to begged me. The food dropped into the cage my collar activated and Drago's voice entered my head.

"Obey, they are to go without food." he said. I panted and went over to the next cage and flipped the switch as the collar went off again.

"Obey, let them starve." Drago said. Everything then started to go blurry as I flipped another switch as the collar went off again.

"Obey, do as you were told," he said. I couldn't hold out any longer collapsed on the ground.

 **Week 137**

Tuff had not showed up today. This is strange as he never misses a day. Something was wrong. I then saw a head guard approached.

"The Commandant wants to see you." he said.

"On my way sir." I said walking past him. I made my way past the prison section and passed Eret cage. We linked minds again.

"I don't know when I might see you again. Viggo is threatening to move me. Just stay strong and don't let them break your Will." Eret said. I headed to Viggo's chambers where I saw Bob in the corner mumbling as Viggo turned to me.

"I will make you obey!" he said walking down the steps as he approached Bob.

"I believe you know this man, Guard 268. I order you to be quite." Viggo said as Tuff kept mumbling. It sounds like he was mumbling the words Drago said when we first arrived.

"Guard 268 shut your mouth!" Viggo yelled as Bob continued to mumble. "Those who do not obey can be made to. But those who cannot obey are useless. Take this sword." he said holding a Master Cutlass in his hands. I took it.

"Now I order you to kill him." Viggo said. Tuff looked up at me with fear.

"No don't I'll work harder." he said as I hit the Commandant with the weapon. My collar went off.

"Obey, kill him!" Drago said as I panted and held onto the sword.

"This halfwit is beyond care but you I will salvage. Ten seconds." Viggo said. I hit him again, and my collar went off again.

"Obey, this man must die." Drago said.

"Everyone has their breaking points and I will find yours." Viggo said as my collar went off again. I fell to my knees hit the ground, dropping the sword at this point as well. As I stood up Viggo took the sword and swung it my my left foot. The sword cut through my flesh and I fell to the floor in pain. My leg began to bleed out. I could feel the blood leaving my body. As I laid their, about to pass out, Viggo hit Tuff with Shock killing him instantly. I passed out.

 **Years later**

As Drago and his army grew stronger, day by day as did I. I took the pain and suffering. The injury of my leg cause it to be taken off. I now only had 1 whole leg. I now had to walk around with a wooden foot. I got used to it over the years but it still was annoying. I spent most of my days not speaking to anyone unless spoken to and only caring for myself till the time came. It came to the point where any freedom for the outside world had faded away from me.

"Officer 273 report to the Commandant." a guard said to me.

"Yes sir." I said heading in the direction of the Commandant. I passed the cage Eret used to be in but was now gone taken somewhere in this dark place.

Once I entered the room Viggo turned to me and spoke. "Investigate the construction site and find the guard on duty and bring him to me. Consider this a chance to redeem yourself." Viggo said.

"Yes sir." I said before leaving his chambers.

I soon arrived at the construction side and I began to search for the guard. As I looked round a corner I found the guard dead on the floor. He had with him a gun a sword and a few potions. I turned to see Eret suddenly. He then hit my collar with the Shock spell as I feel to my knees from the force of his spell.

"We meet again hero. You came to rescue me. But you're no good to either of us with that collar on." he said as the thing fell from my neck and my full powers returned as my veins glowed blue again.

"There I've removed it. It took me years to focus enough Will to destroy our collars and that guard. I've got nothing left so when trouble comes it's up to you." Eret said as I ross to my feet.

"Lets get out of this damn place!" I said. Eret chuckled.

"The only way is through the Commandant Chamber. So ready yourself, and lets move." he said I got up from the floor and we began to run back to the Chambers. As we came to the stairs we turned the corner and two Spire guards saw us.

"What in...that's the Will user! And he's not wearing a collar! Get him!" one yelled. I used ultimate Force Push to send them flying off the edge of the construction site. I began to fight my way past guards while trying protecting Eret. We drew closer to the Commandant chamber, which was empty when we arrived. Eret and I made our way to the window.

"Were not leaving till Viggo is dead." Eret said as he looked over at me. "I know what your think but it's not revenge I'm after. Revenge is just a fortunate by-product." Eret said as I looked out the window. "A new load of recruits are being brought in, take a look." Eret said as I saw the men leaving the ship.

"Now what?" I asked.

"Now we need to find Viggo." Eret said. Suddenly a Shock spell hit him and he fell to the floor. I turned around to see Viggo and a few Spire Guards.

"You! I should have known that you would betray me. Lord Drago will kill me for failing to keep order. But I am obedient, So before he does, I will eliminate you!" he said.

"You'll have to stop me first!" I yelled.

"If Viggo is killed I'll regain my strength." Eret told me.

"Well in that case, I'll make this as quick as possible." I said. I was soon able to kill off the Spire Guards. I hit Viggo a couple of times as he kept on teleporting. Finally after using Shock on Viggo, he fell dead to the floor. A magic energy formed around Eret as he was lifted into the air by a bright white light. He yelled and landed on the ground with his eyes and veins glowing blue again.

"At last. I think it's safe to say you don't need to protect me anymore." Eret said as he used Shock to activate two Cullis gates. "We can use this to reach the docks now come on." he said. We ran over to the Cullis gate and activated it.

When I arrived I saw Eret use flame to set all but one boat on fire. Spire Guards began to attack.

"Let go Eret!" I said as we both started to fight our way to the last boat that had the new recruits still standing by it. Once we had taken all of the guards down we ran over to the new recruits, who looked scared.

"If you wish to live I suggest you all get back on the ship with us!" Eret yelled. We jumped onto the ship and sailed back to home and day light.

Once we landed on the docks in Oakfield Eret and I watched the ship sail away. I then heard the familiar noise of a dog back. I turned to see Theresa and Toothless coming down the hill.

"I thought I'd never see land again. I thank you for your help." Eret said, who was now back in his normal clothes.

"It was no problem. If you would excuse me for a second." I said walking up to Toothless. He came running into me and began he licked my face and I petted his little head. "Hey bud! Oh Toothless. I missed you." I said as I ruffled his head and petted him. Toothless then looked down at my missing foot. He sniffed it and let out a little whimpering noise. "Ah, I'm okay bud."

"Another friend of yours?" he asked.

"Yep this is Toothless. Been with me since I was a kid." I said as Theresa approached us.

"Your furry friend has been coming here every day for a week. He'd knew you would return victorious even before I did. Ten years welcome back my friend." she said.

"Can't even describe how happy I am to be back." I said.

"You have done the impossible. And Eret I welcome you too" she said unaware that Eret was trying to get past her.

"Welcome me? You're in my way, so please step aside." he said.

"Listen to what she has to say Eret." I said.

"You know much about the Old Kingdom enough to know that you cannot destroy the Spire alone. We share a common aim. All I ask is that you listen to what we can offer you." she said.

"Alright. I'll listen. But I promise nothing." he said. Theresa turned to me.

"I will go with Erey. Astrid is at the Inn in Rookridge. You should see her before we talk again. She will be overjoyed to know your back. Oh and here you'll want this." she said handing me a bag of my stuff and my weapons. She then turned back to Eret. "Take my hand Eret, we have a great deal to discuss." Theresa said.

"Do I have any choice?" Eret said taking her hand as they both disappeared. Toothless and I made our way to Oakfield to get some new equipment and clothes. Anything to get rid of this hideous uniform.


	11. The Reunion

The Reunion

After selling my old Spire Guard uniform I was able to get a set of new clothes. I now wore a consists of a basic tunic, leather pants, and padding, all covered by a type of leather armor plating along my shoulders and upper chest, along with arm brackets.

It was raining by the time I reached the steps of the Rookridge Inn. As I walked up to the door I saw Astrid leaning up against the bar talking with a couple of men and woman. She was laughing and smiling. She had changed since I last saw her. She still had her golden hair in a braid, but now wore in across her left shoulder. She no longer wore the blue top but now instead a deep red top, with a hood attached to it. She wore a darker skirt and blue leggings. She also wore a pair of big brown gloves and brown boots.

She turned to me as I walked into the in. She stopped laughing and smiling. Her faced turned to shock and disbelief. I almost looked like she was seeing a ghost. She moved away from the bar and towards me slowly. I stood still, worried of what she would say or do. Thank god she didn't have her axe on her right now.

She stopped in front of me and stared at me. We both stared into each others eyes for what seemed like eternity. She slowly placed her hand on my shoulder, almost like she was checking as if I was real. Once she realised that was was with her and was real, I got a response from her I was not really hoping for. She punched me in stomach... hard.

"Owww, why would you do that?" I asked her while clutching my stomach.

"That is for leaving me. For ten years." She said to me. I looked back up at her. She was looked at me, almost with anger. She moved towards me again. I closed my eyes, not liking what might of come next. Instead of pain, I felt her lips on my. Just like her they were ten years ago. I moved my arms from my stomach and wrapped them around her. The kiss lasted minutes before we pulled away. "And that is for returning." She whispered to me. We both laughed at the moment. Astrid lead me over to a table in the corner of the Inn and we both took a seat. Toothless sat down next to me eating some food.

"I can't believe it. You're really here." she said looking at me.

"Well, I'm not a ghost if that's what you thought." I said to her. She laughed at the comment.

"I know, its just. After ten years you-" she began to say but I cut her off.

"You don't believe you're going to see the person again." She nodded.

"I guess you don't really. After all, it is a long time." She said.

"Too long if you ask me." I said to her.

"You did it. You rescued Eret." She said. "Took you long enough though."

"Hey, not my fault." I said to her, holding up my hands.

"I never gave up hope." she told me. "Kind of hard to when everyday someone whispering in your head about their 'vision of the hero safe return'." Astrid said.

"Is that what Theresa kept on say to you?" I asked. Astrid nodded her head.

"Honestly there were a few times there when I wanted to smack Theresa." Astrid said.

"Glad to hear you didn't though." I said to her.

"Anyway welcome back." Astrid said.

"It's really good to be back." I said.

"So what was it like in there? Was it as horrible as I imagined?" She asked.

"Trust me Astrid. I think it's best that you don't know." I said to her with a low voice.

"Well never mind I'll find out soon enough myself." she said.

"Trust me, you won't like it." I told her.

"Well, let look at the bright side of this." She said.

"And that would be?" I asked.

"We're back in business!" she said. I laughed.

"Is there any news?" I asked. She nodded

"I'm meeting someone who might have some information on... you know number three." she said quietly.

"Okay, you want me to come with you?" I asked. She shook her head.

"No it's okay. Plus you should go. You have things to do, people to see. As soon as I have anything we can use I'll head back to the Guild and Theresa will call you." she said.

"Okay, if you say so." I said to her, as we both began to stand up.

"Oh and Hiccup?" Astrid said. I turned to her. "Welcome back. I missed you. I'm glad that day at the dock wasn't our last goodbye." Astrid said.

"I did tell you it wouldn't be." I said to her. She smiled and began to head over to the doors. I then remembered something.

"Hey, Astrid." I called out to her. She stopped and turned around to face me. "You haven't told me what that kiss was for, ten years ago." She smiled at me.

"You'll find out soon enough." She said, and with that she walked out of the door.

"You should take some time to recuperate before you come to the guild. You'll find the world has changed since you last saw it." Theresa said. I look down at Toothless, who was sitting down eating some food.

"Hey bud." I said to him, as I knelt down. "What do you say about having a look around?" I asked him. He barked at me and began to run out of the door. He definitely wants to stretch his legs.


	12. The Cullis Gate

The Cullis Gate

After traveling around, seeing how different the world now is I headed back to the Guild. Once arriving I saw Eret and Theresa.

"Did you see Astrid? She is on her way, as well with the information she's gathered." Theresa said. Eret then turned to me.

"Our friend has told me much about you. That night in the castle, your sister...I had no idea. If I'd known, I would have stopped him." Eret said.

"It's ok Eret. You couldn't have know. Right now we need to focus on the task." I said. The gate then activated. I turned to see Astrid entered the room.

"Sorry it took me so long. Drago's men are all over the place." she said.

"You must be Astrid." Eret said looking at her.

"And you must be Eret. Drago's Lackey." she said.

"I was made to understand you might be mistrustful. I didn't anticipate your staggering wit and intellect." he said.

"Oh yeah? And did you anticipate that I like to take a axe and whack smug little spell-flingers?" Hammer said ready to hit him.

"This is not what we're here for. Astrid has information on the third hero." Theresa said.

"Mostly gathered from a tavern, I hear?" Eret said rolling his eyes.

"Not one, lots of them. I did a proper tour." Hammer said pointing her axe at Eret.

"Astrid.." I said said to her.

"Right. I think its this bloke the Thief is a pirate called Snotlout. He runs a port of Bloodstone to the southwest." Astrid told us.

"And you got this from some drunk?" Eret asked.

"Yeah? He sailed with Snotlout for years, said they captured hundreds of ships." Astrid said.

"Doesn't mean he's a hero. Lots of pirates capture ships." Eret pointed out.

"Snotlout takes down galleons with one bullet. High winds, rough seas, a mile away: it doesn't matter. He picks off the captain, the more impossible the shot the quicker the crew surrenders." Astrid explained.

"Impressive, but we're not trying to make Drago surrender." Eret said.

"No, we're not." Astrid said.

"Bloodstone is surrounded by Wraithmarsh on three sides, and ocean on the fourth." Theresa said.

"No matter, we can reach it via Cullis Gate." Eret said.

"Not this one it leads only to Hero Hill." Theresa told.

"Got another one handy have you?" Astrid asked.

"I built one at my tower. It can get us to Wraithmarsh." Eret told us.

"Okay, you're a genius. Does it work?" Astrid asked.

"It will take some time to activate, but it should work." Eret said.

"Should?" Astrid said.

"Its better that won't." I said.

"You must do this together. Drago has sent men to guard Brightwood Tower." Theresa said.

"Okay then let's go. After you, your brilliance." Astrid said sarcastically.

"Barbarian." Eret said as he entered the Cullis Gate.

"Can I please use my axe on him?" Astrid asked, gripping her axe harder. I laughed and placed my hand on her back.

"Come one." We both one by one stepped into the gate and traveled to Hero Hill. We soon arrived at the locked front gate.

"We shouldn't use the front gate. Drago's men will be expecting us." Eret told us.

"Then what do we do?" I asked Eret. He then began to walk away.

"Followed me I know another way in." he said heading the opposite direction.

"So Astrid, what happened while I was away?" I asked her.

"I went back to the Temple for a while. Same old nonsense. Ignorant men trying to tell everyone how to live their lives based on books written a thousand years ago." she said.

"Right- nothing that ancient could possibly contain any wisdom." Eret said.

"Hey, these aren't Old Kingdom schematics that teach you how you how to build guns that shoot lightning. It's a load of superstitious nonsense that never helped anybody. And if you swallow it all, it can get you killed." Astrid said. Eret stopped.

"Hmm, we may actually be in agreement there, but let's cut this short we have a lot to do." Eret said. We followed Eret down the path as we reached the bandits camp. As we began to run a bit faster my leg started to hurt slightly. I began to slow down.

"Hold up." I said. Eret and Astrid stopped and looked at me. Astrid walked up to me.

"Are you alright?" She asked. I nodded.

"Yeah, just my leg, no problem." I said to her. She looked down at my leg. Her face turned to shock. Right. She didn't know about my peg-leg.

"No problem? Hiccup, what happened?" She asked with a shocked voice.

"We don't have time right now Astrid. I'll tell you when we finish this." I said to her, and slowly began to walk again. She walked by me and placed my arm over her shoulder to help me walk.

We soon approached a statue on a hill that had a view of Brightwood Tower. We looked down to the bridge to see Spire Guards.

"Drago's men. They're looking for me. They're between us and the Cullis Gate." Eret pointed out.

"What do we do?" I asked asked.

"We'll have to fight our way through." Eret said.

"Just how I like it." Astrid said. I pulled away from Astrid and stood on my feet again.

"Let's go." I said. We ran down the hill to the bridge and we attacked the large number of Spire Guards. We were able to fight them off pretty quickly. We soon continued up the tower to the entrance as we fought more guards.

Once we reached the top we found the Cullis Gate Eret approached it.

"I will need to concentrate to start the gate. I must rely on the two of you to watch my back." he said as he released will energy into the Cullis Gate.

"Oh sure we'll do all the work while you sit there and think. Let me know when it's my turn for a break will you?" Astrid said. Before I could say anything back to her I saw a shard appear next to the tower.

"We've got one." I said to Eret, who knew what I meant.

"Is that...a shard?" Astrid asked.

"Amazing isn't it?" Eret said.

"Are you serious? A sunset's amazing. That thing's a bloody nightmare." Astrid said. The tip of the shard had a yellow orb form above it and a lightning bolt went into the tower.

"We have a small advantage, they don't want us dead." Eret said.

"I know that's supposed to be comforting but it's not. And it's not alone looks like it's brought its own army!" Astrid said.

"Astrid, you focus on protecting Eret. I'll take care of the first row." I said.

"Let's do it!" Astrid said drawing her axe. I drew my sword and charged at the enemy.

"I'll have this thing up in no time." Eret said.

After a few minutes of fighting close to thirty guards I turned to Eret to see how it was going "We're almost there." he said as more waves of Spire Guards began to show up.

"Eret, look out!" Astrid yelled as Toothless tackled the guard and bit at the man neck.

"How much longer Eret?" I asked.

"Just a bit more" he said. "Just hold them off a little longer." he said as more Spire Guard appeared.

"Eret, hurry up!" Astrid yelled as she continued to take out more guards.

"All right I'm nearly done." Eret said as I started to lose my strength.

"Come on Eret." I said.

"Almost there." Eret said as the Cullis Gate opened and more Spire Guards appeared. Toothless went into the gate first.

"Hiccup go now!" Eret yelled.

"Wait what about you guys?" I asked.

"Hiccup! Don't worry about us! Just go!" Astrid yelled.

"Hiccup go now we'll handle them and follow you!" Eret said. As much as I didn't want to I ran up to it and I used the Cullis Gate.


	13. Stranded

Stranded

Once I reached the other end of the Cullis Gate and something went wrong. I was suddenly hit by a very painful surge of energy and I collapsed to the ground. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Toothless take off.

"Can you hear me?" I heard Theresa asked me. I couldn't respond. I struggled to keep awake as I noticed a man with a torch approached me.

"Well, well, well, what have we got here?" he said. I blacked out.

When I awoke I looked around my surroundings and saw that I was in a cage. I stood up and saw a man approached me with the torch. The same man I saw before I blacked out. "Is it alive?" he said.

"Where am I? Why the hell am I in a cage?!" I yelled.

"You had a dog with you, there like." he said.

"What did you do with him?" I asked.

"It ran off into the fog. The Banshees will have it by now." he said laughing as he coughed.

"That's what you think." I said.

"Aye, you've seen the last of that mongrel, I can tell you." he said.

"I know him, better than you do. He won't go down without a fight." I said to him.

"You from Bloodstone eh? No...no you don't got the stink of it about you." he said.

"What do you know about Bloodstone?" I asked.

"It's a wicked place. Would be burned to the ground if there was any justice. So what do I do about you?" he said.

"Let me go and I won't make your life shorter." I suggested.

"Reckon I'll burn you as well." he said as he laughed. Suddenly out of no where a white sheet of fog quickly surrounded the area. The old man quickly turned and gasped. He look side by side before running into the fog. After a few seconds I heard his voice.

"No...no please!" he begged as a high pitched screech followed by the old man screams filled the air. The fog soon vanished and I saw the old man body. As I looked around for a way out I saw Toothless approach the cage.

"Toothless! Thank god you're okay. Go get the keys boy." I said. Toothless ran over to the body, to when I heard Theresa voice.

"You should be able to hear me now. The Cullis Gate malfunctioned and Astrid and Eret were sent back to the Guild." she said.

"Thank god they're okay. Where am I anyway?" I asked.

"You've made it to Wraithmarsh, but you're on your own for now. Well, you're not entirely on your own." she said as Toothless came up to the cage with the keys in his mouth.

"When can the others get here?" I asked.

"Astrid and Eret cannot reach you. Be wary. The fog here is unnatural." she warned me.

"Yeah what gave that away?" I said unlocking the cage.

"Somehow it dampens the Guild Seal. Bloodstone is on the far side of the marshes. I suggest you head there, quickly." she said as I stepped out of the cage and grabbed my bag. Toothless and I quickly began to walk. As we started moving up a trail a fog began to surrounded me.

"Something in the marsh is controlling the fog and using it against you. You need to find the source and destroy it." Theresa said. As we moved into a pond a floating red hooded figure appeared with her hand over her face removed them and screamed it high pitched screaming and it placed its hands back over its face.

"Is that thing a Banshee?!" I asked. Then out of no where the Banshee spoke and little shadow girls with glowing yellow eyes began to attack.

"You bring only despair to this world. It is better off without you." it said as I began to fight the little girls made of shadows.

"That what your think." I said, as I stabbed another shadow girl.

"Heather would have done anything to protect you. She even gave her life, and what have you done about it? Nothing, nothing at all." It said to me. No one says anything about my sister like that.

"Shut up! Don't you dare speak of my sister!" I yelled at it.

"Did you know Heather didn't die right away from that shot? No, she watched you fall through that window, heard as your body thudded against the ground and cried bitter tears before a final shot from Drago ended her life." That's taking it too far.

"Shut the hell up! You don't know anything about my sister!" I yelled.

"Could you do nothing to save your sister? Were you too weak to stop her death?" the banshee asked as I eliminated the last girl.

"Shut up!" I screamed at it. I began to walk around in circles. This thing was getting in my head.

"You still hear Heather's death cry when you sleep at night, don't you?" It asked me. Its the only thing I ever hear at night.

"What would Heather say if she could see you now? Do you think she would be proud? Do you think she would recognize the creature you've become?" That's is.

"I said shut the hell up!" I yelled as I took my sword and swung it in the banshee in the face. It cried out in pain and soon it disappeared. I dropped the sword and knelt down and began to pant.

"Well done. But be careful there may be more. So stay on your guard." she said.

"There's more?" I asked, not wanting to go through that again.

"I may lose contact with you again because of the fog." Theresa said. I stood up and looked across the pond to which I saw a very large wooden bridge that I recognize very well.

"This place looks like the place in the snowglobe." I said.

"This used to be Oakvale, though it has changed radically since I saw it last. And that was a long time ago. It has seen many a cruel deed." she said.

"What happened here?" I asked.

"Six hundred years ago, bandits attacked the village and burned it to the ground. The survivors rebuilt their lives...only to have them destroyed a second and final time. A new threat came from within. A reckless young villager made a deal with the forces of shadows, who took the lives of every other resident as payment. All of his family all of his friends everyone he loved. And now the marsh has engulfed the village and Oakvale is nothing but a bitter memory." Theresa said as I continued along the path that I flowed in the snowglobe and made my way to the next Hero.


	14. The Hero of Skill: The Meeting

The Hero of Skill

Once I followed the path to Bloodstone Theresa spoke to me. "The town center is over the next rise." she said as I turned the corner and saw the town.

"Finally." I said, letting out a breath of relief. Toothless barked next to me. I looked down at him and patted Toothless head.

"The largest house in Bloodstone, that'll be Snotlout's. I suggest you go and make the Thief's acquaintance." she said. I looked over at the town and saw a big white house. It was the largest house in Bloodstone.

"No problem." I said heading into town and I made my way to the mansion on the hill.

Once I reached the house the guard at the front stood in front and spoke.

"Hey mate! You got business with Snotlout?" he asked.

"Yes I wish to speak with him." I said.

"He's through the back." the man said. I walked into the house and saw a man with black hair and holding a gun as he modeled for a sculptor who was making a statue of him.

"Well hello there. Always a nice surprise to have company. I don't get many visitors to my little coastal paradise, especially ones who might well redefine a man's concept of paradise." he said.

"Thank you, I think?" I said.

"On the rare occasion that people make it through Wraithmarsh they're lost, confused...scared but not you. You're looking for someone and if you're looking for someone in Bloodstone, let's be honest you're looking for me." he said getting out of his pose and placed his gun in its case attached to his waist.

"But I'm afraid I hate wasting time on nobodies, that's you." he said.

"Excuse me?" I said.

"Tell you what, why don't you go out and rescue some travelers or slay some beast or slay some travelers. The details are unimportant. Prove to me that you're worth dealing with and you'll have my full attention." he said.

"That it?" I asked.

"That's it, tsst, scoot. Off you go. Vamoose. Geh weg! Allez-vous en." he said in different languages. As I left the room and heard Snotlout speak to the sculptor. He began to laugh at first.

"Do you think my buttock looks like that?" he said. I suddenly heard a gun shoot as I left the mansion.

"I hate him already." I said.

"There's nothing for it. We need his help and he wants to play his little game, so you must play it or Drago will soon get what he want. With the Cullis gate inoperable Wraithmarsh cuts you off from the rest of the world. If you need to leave Bloodstone perhaps a sea captain would give you passage." Theresa said. I looked round Bloodstone and then down at Toothless.

"Say bud, what do you say on getting famous around here?" I asked him. He barked at me and wagged his tail. I laughed. "I thought so."


	15. Teamwork

Teamwork

Once I helped out a couple of people around here in Bloodstone, I made my way to the Bloodstone Mansion. I walked into Snotlout's study where a sudden flash blinded me for a second. My my sight returned I saw Barnum with his camera.

"We're done." Barnum said.

"And you're sure that it will look like me?" Snotlout asked.

"Exactly like you sir, in three months the pictures will be developed and..." but before Barnum could finish Snotlout interrupted.

"Three months? That's no good." he said shooting Barnum. I stared in horror.

"Snotlout, what the hell?!" I yelled to him. He turned and faced me.

"You're back! My men are positively buzzing with interest 'who is this person' they ask 'have heroes come back to Albion?' and blah, blah, blah and so on and so forth and I really don't care." he said. "You see while you were out making your name a hou- a hovel-hold word, I discovered that you recently waltzed right out of Drago's Spire." he said.

"Yeah I did." I said unsure of where he was going with this.

"So unless I miss my guess and incidentally I never miss, you want me to help you waltz back in there and take him down." he said.

"Yes, unfortunately." I said under my breath.

"Hmm tempting, who knows what lovelies he has secreted away in there. But now unfortunately for you, I have a confession to make." he said.

"What?" I growled.

"While you were away it occurred to me that Drago is probably a bit miffed that you wandered off without his permission. Maybe miffed enough to part with a large heap of gold to get you back, and you know what? I was right." he said as I realized what he was suggesting.

"Snotlout, what did you do?" I asked gripping my gun at my side as Snotlout held his.

"So as fun as all this had been, I'm afraid I must now return you to the Spire." he said pointing his gun at me as I pointed mine at him.

"There's one thing should know about me Snotlout. I never go down without a fight!" I said.

"Drago's men will be here at any moment." he said chuckling. Suddenly out of nowhere a loud bang was heard and the house shook.

"All right what exactly was that?" Snotlout yelled. One of his men came running up and stood on a balcony above our heads.

"Snotlout, the city's under attack! By a bloody army! Drago's men dozens of the buggers! And the guy in charge is yelling at his men to 'find this Snotlout'!" he yelled.

"Me? Drago and I had a gentlemen's agreement! How dare he betray me? And just when I was in the middle of trying to betray you! How inconvenient." he said as he made his way to a bookshelf.

"Isn't that a shame Snotlout? Being betrayed?"

"Oh shut up." He said to me.

"What are you going to do now? We're trapped?" I asked.

"I recommend we flee down this rather handy escape tunnel." he said pulling a book that opened a secret tunnel. I called Toothless from outside of the house and we both followed Snotlout into the tunnel.

The first room we entered looked like a wine cellar as Snotlout began to talk again. "Smuggler's built theses tunnels ages ago. I don't think they've been used for about 300 years. Oh no wait a minute now I came through here in...that's right. I was consorting with Ursula at the time and Penelope found out and set the house on fire while I was asleep, with Andrew as I recall. Ah that would have been 200 years ago." he said.

"It's a shame that you got out." I said. Theresa then spoke.

"Drago's is using Great Shards to transport hundreds of men to Bloodstone. The town is overrun. You'll have to keep going and find another way out." Theresa said as we entered a cave with a mining rails everywhere.

An explosion appeared on the side of the cave and Drago's men began swarming in. Snotlout began shooting men dead on in the head even when they were far away.

"Drago's men, here? Well so much for a pleasurable romp through the labyrinth." Snotlout said.

"Yeah. Too bad nothing has been going your way, has it Snotlout!" I said shooting more of the men. "How the hell did they find us down here?"

"He must have known about these tunnels. And I thought I'd been quite clever and secretive. How irksome." Snotlout said.

"Yeah I bet one of your men must have opened their big mouths." I said as we continued down the rocky path and another explosion let in more Spire Guards.

"How many men does he have down here? They're positively oozing out of the stonework." Snotlout said as he continuing his shooting.

"That's it!" I said using ultimate Chaos as all the men that entered the room as they all jumped off the edge.

"Nicely done." Snotlout said we made our way deeper in the mines.

"If Drago get his hands on either of you, it's the end of everything. Go." Theresa said as we entered a room with water on the floor as another explosion, meaning more guards.

"Don't worry your pretty little head about these chaps, I can get us out of here. I mean I'm am, aren't I?" he said as I rolled my eyes.

"You're so full of yourself." I said shooting more men as we continued along the path into another mine area. More of Drago's men began to appear.

"Blast it. We're like fish in a barrel, if there's one thing I hate it's an unfair fight, these lads aren't particularly sporting are they? Lucky for you, you've in the presence of the best shot since...well ever!" Snotlout said.

"Careful Snotlout don't get too confident." I said using ultimate Blades to finish off the rest of them. Snotlout and I we continued down the path. I then started to see light at the end of the cave. We carried on down the cave and soon got to the light.

Once outside I saw Astrid and Eret waiting for us."She was right, they're here!" Astrid said, after noticing us.

"We're here not, not worry." I said.

"Good to see you again, hope we didn't miss too much." she said.

"Sounded like it was a massacre. Are all the soldiers gone?" Eret asked.

"Far away I hope. I don't know how much more killing I can stand. Balverines and bandits behind every rock and tree and everyone I kill two more take its place." Astrid said.

"It will be all over soon, Astrid. Don't worry." I told her.

"Eh...all quite fascinating I'm...I'm touched. I'm also leaving." Snotlout said walking towards the ship but stopped.

"Oh yes 3-2-1..." he said. Suddenly the entrance to the escape tunnels exploded. I don't remember seeing Snotlout set up a bomb.

"And any other lurking nasties in the tunnels will now have a bit of a headache. Which means I've just saved us all. Aren't I nice?" He said.

"Not the word I would use to describe you." I said quietly but loud enough for Eret and Astrid to hear and to look at me.

"In a few moments I'll be sailing away to safety on my escape ship." he said not noticing the Great Shard heading to his ship.

"So the way I see it we're even. Toodle-oo." he said walking towards his ship. Suddenly the Great Shard opened up as a red light came from the top of it and destroyed Snotlout's ship as it sank and the Shard moved towards us.

"Or...not. Right well, Plan B." Snotlout said as I drew my weapons and the Shard shot down the beam to released guards.

"It's attacking! We can't escape from here!" Eret said.

"It's just never enough." Astrid said drawing her axe as the guards came.

"Ah ha, I see. I presume this sort of thing happens to you people on a regular basis does it?" Snotlout asked drawing his gun.

"What gave that away?" I said as we began attacking the guards.

"Eret! We have to find a way to destroy that thing before we all get captured!" I yelled slaying the last guard as the Shard got ready to release a red beam at us like it did to Snotlout's ship.

"The Shard's shooting! Watch out!" Astrid yelled. We all jumped out of the way as the Shard shot down to the ground.

"Cover me! I must find a way to expose its vulnerable spot. I know it has one." Eret said.

"Right, Astrid, Snotlout handle the guards I'll help Garth." I said following Eret up the hill as Snotlout and Astrid stood at the edge and got ready for the second wave.

"Old Kingdom artifacts respond to the Will. I just have to find the right spell." Eret said using Inferno to no effect as I used Force Push.

"There must be a way..." Eret said.

"We have to keep trying Eret." I said as I used Vortex.

"Nothing seems to work, unless…" he said using Shock. The Shard reacted to it as I used Shock too to see it reacting even more.

"That's it! Long sustained attacks, it the only way to bring it down!" He said charging for ultimate Shock as I did.

"This would be much more sporting if you could make it show us its dirty little secret again!" Snotlout yelled.

"Shut up Snotlout! We're trying!" I yelled as Eret released his ultimate Shock. A bright light formed on top of the Shard and I hit the light with my ultimate Shock doing some major damage to it.

"Yes it's working!" Eret yelled as I drew my gun and began shooting at the light seeing it do some damage. Suddenly the Shard set down a red beam at me and Eret.

"Oh crap move!" I yelled just as me and the others moved out of the way.

"Such a pretty ball of light, painful too I should think." Snotlout said as more Spire Guards began to appear.

"Keep them off me!" Eret yelled as he and I began to hit the Shard with endless Shock spells till the light appeared above it and I charged for ultimate Shock. Eret and I hit it with all out power. Suddenly the red beam began to come down at us. We just managed to move out of the way.

"Do you see that? It's trying to outshine me, we can't allow that!" Snotlout said as we moved to the other hill and kept hitting it with Shock.

"It won't last long if we can keep this up!" Eret said.

"I know Eret! We just have to keep on trying!" I said as guards came at us. I started to block them off.

"Snotlout you're opposed to keep them off our back!" I yelled kicking him back.

"Oh, I'm sorry if I had to re-set my bullets!" Snotlout said as he continued to fire at guards. The Shard opened up again.

"It's open again Hiccup! Get ready!" Eret yelled.

"I agree!" I said as both charged for ultimate Shock. We both let out our ultimate Shock and hit the ball of light. It exploded and crashed down onto the beach as we all walked up to the destroyed shard.

"Now that's teamwork!" Astrid said.

"Yeah not much of teamwork when your team mate tries betraying you." I said.

"Yes such fun and with that I'm off, byesie." Snotlout said walking away from us.

"You can't leave now we need you!" Astrid said. Snotlout stopped at turned around.

"Ah, Astrid. Are you going to miss me? How about you come with me." He said as he walked back over to us. Or well, Astrid. Astrid made a sick noise and covered her mouth. Then a light appeared next to Snotlout and Theresa appeared in front of us.

"Welcome Snotlout." Theresa said getting Snotlout attention as he turned to her.

"Er...delighted to be here...er whoever you are. But as I was saying before the enormous pointy boulder interrupted, I really must go." he said.

"Listen to me. If you don not help us Drago will control the world and every person in it." Theresa said.

"Well he's welcome to them. People are a bit overrated, don't you find?" Snotlout said.

"Then who will you sacrifice to the King of Shadow?" Theresa asked.

"Ah very well...all right yes I will help you!" Snotlout said a little pissed off.

"Yay us." I said.

"And after that, there's a good chance I will kill you but...well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it, hm?" Snotlout said directly at Theresa as she smiled.

"We must gather at the Circle of Heroes. The ritual we will perform there shall provide us with the weapon we need to defeat Drago." Theresa said holding her hand out.

"Oh this sounds like a barrel of laughs." Snotlout said sarcastically as he eyed Theresa hand.

"Blind eh? Hmm, I would have preferred mute." He taking her hand as the light transported all of us away.


	16. The Ritual

The Ritual

Once I could see, I saw that we were back at Bower Lake on Hero hill. I looked around and saw that I was standing near a plate with a symbol on it. The same symbol on which I was given with the Bower Lake Seal. Astrid, Eret and Snotlout stood by their own plate with symbols of Strength, Skill, and Will in them. Theresa and Toothless stood off on the side.

"What exactly does Drago want?" Snotlout asked.

"Aside from godlike power? Hmm, that's a tough one." Astrid said.

"That kind of power is a means, not an end...what does he want to do?" Snotlout asked.

"When I knew him he wanted to resurrect his family, probably still does. But give a beggar a million gold he'll buy food until he's full. And then he realizes bread isn't the only thing for sale." Eret said.

"Meaning Drago has gone completely insane with power?" I said as Theresa spoke.

"Now we can begin." she said.

"What do we do?" I asked

"Stand in the center. You represent that which binds the three together; Strength, Skill and Will. Together you will call forth the great weapon that will defeat Drago." she said. I stepped onto the center and it soon began to glow white around me. Astrid stepped on hers and it turned blue, Eret on his which turned red, and Snotlout's step onto his which turned yellow.

"So now we just...do what, exactly?" Snotlout asked as he groaned in pain and fell to his knees. Astrid and Eret soon started to groan as well. They suddenly were lifted into the air as a yellow bolt from Snotlout chest stuck me. I began yelling in pain as a red bolt from Eret's plate hit me then the blue bolt from Astrids. A white mass of energy formed around me as I struggled to stay standing. A bright white light suddenly covered the entire hill. As it cleared away and I fell to my knees and I saw the others on there as I stood on a still glowing plate.

"Bloody hell...that hurt." Astrid groaned as she lay on her knees and I looked over to see Snotlout and Eret on the ground.

"I agree." Eret groaned as he tried to get off the ground.

"Are you guys all right?" I asked them all with concern.

"I think so." Astrid said to me with a weak voice.

"Well...I did enjoy making that pretty light with you but with that done. What happens now?" Snotlout asked as he and the other got onto their feet.

"We crossed beyond the far edge of my knowledge when he stepped in the center." Eret said.

"Sorry if I hurt you. I just did what I was told by Theresa." I to them all.

"Well, if she told you to shoot us, would've you?" Snotlout asked.

"Would have done if it was you." I mumbled under my breath. "Wait, where's Theresa?" Astrid asked. As I began to look around I noticed that she was in fact gone.

"Well this can't be good." Snotlout said. Suddenly four Great Shards surrounded the hill as it shot down around us. The guards appeared around Astrid, Snotlout, and Eret, their weapons were pointing towards them. Drago stepped from the darkness.

"Heroes, enough power to build a new world and you waste it trying to save the old one." he said.

"You're...you're Drago!" Astrid said "If I wasn't so weak, I would have your head!" She yelled. A guard came behind her and pushed her to the ground.

"Astrid!" I yelled, trying to move over to her, but found that I couldn't. What's going on?

"Open your eyes, Drago. The ruins of the Old Kingdom are all around us." Eret said to Drago.

"And soon they will be buried under the New Kingdom. And you are look at the new king." Drago said.

"Pretender. Your fall will be hard indeed." Eret said with a struggling voice.

"Um...deal still stands Lord Drago, er King Drago!" Snotlout said trying to make his way out of this. Before I could yell anything at him Astrid beat me to it.

"Oh Snotlout, will you shut it!" She yelled, as she tried to get up from the floor.

"In fact, you can have these people for free!" Snotlout said.

"And so I shall. And you as well." Drago said.

"Where is she?" Astrid asked, talking about Theresa.

"Your fortune-telling friend?" Drago said.

"What have you done to her?" Astrid asked.

"Drago, I swear, if you hurt her!" I yelled.

"I merely listened." he said. Suddenly the shards activated and transported everyone but me and Drago away.

"No!" I yelled as Astrid, Eret and Snotlout were taken away.

"I should have gone out into the dark and found your body that night." Drago said stepping into the light that my plate was still giving off, "but I was hasty. I let the bloodline flourish. And you have flourished." he said. He then took out his gun from behind his back.

"But this time is different. The last of the heroic blood will flow out onto this hilltop." he said pointing his gun at me. I then heard Toothless come from the side growling. He jumped toward Drago to attack him, but Drago shot him. I heard him whimper and hit he the ground motionless.

"No! Toothless!" I screamed trying to go to him but still couldn't move. Just like I couldn't twenty years ago.

"Pitiful creature, misguided and weak." Drago said.

"He was more strong than you will ever be!" I screamed to him.

"The last time I killed you, it tore my heart out. Of course you were only a child but then...so was I." he said. I heard the gun shot and everything went dark.

"Death is not your destiny today, Little Hiccup." Theresa voiced echoed.


	17. A Perfect World

A Perfect World

All I could see was darkness and heard nothing till I heard someone's voice echoing. I saw everything go white as the voice became clear.

"Come on Little Brother, wake up." a familiar voice said.

"Heather?" I said, not believing what I was hearing. As everything got cleared and I was staring up at a familiar ceiling as I looked to see I was a kid again. We were in mine and Heather's old bedroom in our old home.

I then got out of bed and saw Heather standing next to my bed. "Mum and Dad have gone out! You've missed saying goodbye." she said.

"They have?" I asked.

"Come on get up, it's beautiful outside." she said turning to leave the room.

"Is this heaven?" I asked. Heather spoke again. She must not of heard what I said.

"Come on! They won't be back for ages. We're going to have such a fun day. I've got so many things planned." she said.

"Like what?" I asked.

"I've hidden bottles around the farm for you to shoot. The chickens need rounding up or we could kill some beetles, all sorts of thing." she said as we walked down the stairs of our parent's home. Heather stepped out into the bright light in the door way as I stepped out and couldn't see for a few seconds till my visions cleared and my home appeared before me.

"So, what shall we do first?" Heather asked. I made my way to the field to see beetles.

"There are loads of bug in this field, fancy killing some?" she asked. To answer her question I pulled out my toy gun and began shooting at the bugs. Heather cheered me on.

Once the last bug was dead Heather and I looked over to see if there were more. "I can't see any more, shall we do something else?" she asked.

"Let's get the chickens." I said. I shot a bottles that we passed as we made our way to the barn right next to an empty chicken coop as the five chicken were around us.

"Those chickens wander all over the place, peck-peck-pecking away, reckon you get them all back in their pen?" Heather asked.

"No problem." I said kicking the first one into the pen.

"Right you silly chicken now stay!" Heather said as I kicked another one in.

Once the last chicken was kicked in and the last bottle was shot me and Heather looked into the coop at the chickens.

"That's all of them! I should call you Chicken Chaser." she said.

"No thanks. I don't think Chasing Chickens is the job I would want." I said as I saw it got dark.

"That was a fantastic day, but I'm worn out." she said.

"Yeah so am I." I said.

"Let's go to bed." Heather said.

"Yeah bed." I said. Heather and I made our way back to the house as we got back to our beds.

"Night Little Brother." Heather said.

"Night Heather." I said as I climbed into bed and fell asleep.

When I awoke to the sound of the music box from Bowerstone. I got out of bed and stood the stack of books by the windows as I saw the gate to the farm was open. Heather woke up and stood next to me rubbing her eyes.

"It's nothing Hiccup, go back to sleep." she said. I suddenly remembered how I got here and knew my friends were in danger.

"I'm sorry Heather." I said heading out of the room as Heather followed.

"Oh come on, get back to bed. There's nothing fun to do here now." she said as I made my way down the stairs.

"Where are you going?" She asked.

"Outside." I said.

"Are you mad?! It's dangerous out there." she said following me outside.

"Get back inside you're going to get me in so much trouble." she said.

"Don't worry. You'll be fine." I said as I was about to go outside the gate.

"Don't go!" she yelled.

"I'm so sorry Heather." I said stepping out of the gate. Heather screamed.

"No!" she screamed, just like the night at Drago's study. I turned to see her vanish as everything went red as it started to rain. I began to run down the trail to the source of the music. I began to walk down path where I saw people dead on the ground, some caught on fire. The music grew louder as I ran into some ruins.

I ran up the stairs and saw the music box glowing in a bright light. I reached forward and grabbed it. Then everything went black. Suddenly I began to have a flashback of people's voice.

"Castle Fairfax looks so nice in the snow. if only we could live there." Heather voice said.

"Perhaps that could be arranged." Drago voice said.

"No!" Heather scream.

"For centuries this academy trained the supremely gifted sons and daughters of Albion. Bound together by the blood that flowed through their you feel the power coursing through you?" Theresa voice asked. I then began hear Astrid's sobs.

"Father! I could have stopped him!" she cried.

"That was something else. Best Crucible in years!" Alvin said.

"A classic performance that will be remembered for all time. Or at least, as long as there are people around to remember it." Ryker said.

"Everyone has their breaking point and I will find yours." the Commandant, Viggo, said.

"So as fun as all this had been, I'm afraid I must now return you to the Spire." Snotlout voice said.

"The last time I killed you, it tore my heart out. Of course you were only a child but then…so was I." Drago voice said as everything went white.

"You have passed the test. Your rewards are the opportunity to confront your enemy...and the means to destroy him. Take the box and got to him." Heather voice said.

"I promise I will make this right Heather!" I said.


	18. A New Journey

A new Journey

When my vision cleared I awoke on the docks of the Spire. I saw the box in front of me. I reached down and picked it up. I suddenly heard and felt a loud rumbling as I saw dead Spire Guards and new recruits on the ground. Dead. I headed towards the flickering white light in front of me on top of the stairs. As I walked into it and was blinded for a few seconds. I found myself in a room that had a similar plates like on Hero Hill. Astrid, Eret and Snotlout were hovering on the plates with Drago in the middle. It looked like the energy was being drained into him.

"You let them go you bastard!" I yelled getting his attention.

"Your power is astounding. Twice you've cheated death. Yet your abilities are trivial compared to the infinite power of the Spire, which will soon be mine!" He yelled.

"Not if I have anything to say about!" I yelled.

"Now...sleep." He said. Luckily the sleep spell which didn't work on me this time. I took the music box in my hand and I held it up to him.

"What? What is that?" Drago asked.

"Just my weapon." I said as the power Drago was stealing began to be drained into the box.

"Do you think a mere trinket will save you? Do you think anything can?" Drago asked as the blue light coming from Astrid chest disappeared. Drago then realized what I was doing.

"Stop! Think about what you're doing!" he yelled.

"I'm saving the world! That's what I'm doing!" I yelled.

"I will put an end to chaos!" Drago yelled.

"You're the one who created the chaos!" I yelled as the red light in Eret's chest vanished.

"Stop now, you fool! You insect! I order you to stop!" he yelled.

"I don't take orders from you!" I yelled as the yellow might broke of Snotlout and the box began to pull me in as the last of the energy was drained from Drago.

"Sleep! I command you to sleep, sleep!" Drago yelled as a bright light filled the room followed by Drago's scream of anger. The light slowly cleared. I looked around to see the others heroes lying on the ground. Drago got up off the ground, his eyes were glowing.

"Do you consider this a victory? You are merely dealing the inevitable." he said.

"I beg to differ." I said shooting him. He grunted in pain before falling over the edge screaming.

"I thought he'd never shut up." Snotlout said standing.

"Drago's...dead so...what happens now?" Astrid asked as she got up from the ground.

"I don't know." I said. A light then appeared in the center of where the four of us were standing and Theresa appeared.

"Now? Hero, it is time you gained your reward. Your gift for saving the world from a madman's selfish dreams. The Spire has awakened, and it still has the power to grant one wish...yours." she said holding her hand out. "Come take my hand."

"It's all right Little Brother. Don't be afraid" Heather. I walked up to Theresa and took her hand. Everything went white as me and Theresa stood in a white room.

"Where are we Theresa?" I asked.

"You stand in the heart of the Spire as the Archon of the Old Kingdom did thousands of years ago. Now it is your turn. Make a wish but choose wisely for it will affect all of Albion." Theresa said.

"I have choices?" I asked.

"You have three. Sacrifice; you may choose to revive all those who died in the Spire's making but in doing so know that you will never see your loved ones again." she said as a card with a statue with people cheering at it appeared before me.

"Love; those dearest to you even your faithful dog will be restored to life, but their lives come at a cost of the countless innocents who died in building the Spire." she said as a card with a heart stood before me next to the other card.

"Or wealth; more gold than you can imagine, to spend on whatever pleases you, but any you loved and all the Spire's prisoners will remain will remain dead, and will not witness your new found affluence." she said as a card with a treasure chest with gold under it appeared next to the Love Card.

"What will you choose?" Theresa asked.

"With Love, could I also bring Heather back?" Theresa nodded. I felt and lump in my throat appear. I can bring both Heather and Toothless back. I can bring them back. I go to point to the love heart card, but a thought crosses my mind. The millions of people who died making the Spire, their lives will be lost. Is it really worth bringing them back, when I could bring back thousands of lives? I close my eyes, letting a tear fall down my face, and point to my chosen card. Sacrifice.

"So be it." Theresa said. The clouds above the Spire began to glow as the wish was made and the clouds disappeared.

"All those who have lost family and friends to the Spire have had their loved ones returned to them, confused but unharmed. Soon all Albion will be filled with gratitude and praise the name of this great and selfless Hero forever and they will know what you gave up for their sake." Theresa said. I was returned to the room where Astrid, Snotlout and Eret were waiting for us.

"We heard everything." Astrid said.

"Yes a wish was made and the world will bear its consequences." Theresa said.

"When my father died, it was awful I could hardly barely thinking about it but sacrificing him myself. No, it took amazing strength for you to do that more strength than I'll ever have." Astrid said.

"Yes, yes, yes, yes let's move onto important matters. What about me what do I get? Cash would be nice." Snotlout said.

"That is up to you. I can send you anywhere from here. What do you wish?" She asked.

"I wish to return home in Samarkand." Eret said.

"Oh I've never been to Samarkand. Hot night's exotic substances and inhibited people." Snotlout said.

"It's nothing like that." Eret said.

"Trust me I'll find the exciting bits." Snotlout said.

"Fine just stay out of my way, Astrid?" He said as I looked to her.

"No I'm done. I don't want to go back to the Temple. I want to travel." Astrid said she then turned to Hiccup. "That kiss I gave you ten years age. You asked why I gave it to you. This is why: I want to be with you, Hiccup. That day we got attacked in the cave, you save my life numerous time when I couldn't defend myself. When my father died, you were there when no one else would have be. I want to be with you." She said to me. I smiled at her and nodded. She smiled at me back.

"Ahh that is disappointing, Astrid. I think we would of had a great wedding at Samarkand." Snotlout said.

"You wish." Astrid said.

"Ahh well. Goodbye hero. I simply must thank you enough for dragging me into this mess." Snotlout said.

"My pleasure. I hope nothing bad happens to you." I said sarcastically.

"Oh - I should tell you that I do have to make the occasional sojourn to Albion. I have obligations with some friends in Wraithmarsh." he said disappearing in a beam of light.

"I don't think I could handle another moment with him." I said. Eret spoke.

"I had my doubts about you at first, but I'm glad we met and we shall meet again. You can count on it." he said.

"Goodbye Eret and take care." I said. He nodded at me and disappeared as I turned to Astrid.

"So, do you want to come back with me?" I asked Astrid. She nodded.

"Please." She begged. I nodded and turned to Theresa.

"And now it is time for you to leave, the world is yours to enjoy. But the Spire is mine. Be gone." she said. I was soon teleported from the Spire.

I was transported to the docks of Oakfield looking out to the Spire in the distances. I turned to see Astrid standing next to me. We looked at each other before hugging. She just let the moment take us. It was over. No more Drago. And no more death. We slowly pulled away and looked at each other. Astrid placed her hand on my cheek and whipped a tear then fell on it. She looked down for a second, and confusion spread across her face.

"What's that?" She asked. I looked down and found a letter in my hand, which I didn't even realise I was holding.

"Its a letter." I answered.

"What does it say?" She asked. I shrugged my shoulders before opening it to read it.

"Hero among Heroes, the people of Albion, an organization formed by representatives from every region in the land and every walk of life, thank you for your selfless acts in the Tattered Spire. We don't pretend to understand the events that took place there, yet all that matters is that those who were taken from us are alive. To celebrate their return, and commemorate your heroic deed, we have erected a statue in your honor. We hope you like it. The People of Albion."

"A statue for me, huh?" I said. Astrid laughed.

"They must really honor you." She answered.

"Maybe." I said as I placed the letter away. As I placed the letter in my bad I saw something lying at the bottom of it. A red rubber ball. I took the ball out a stared at it. Astrid must have seen what I was thinking about, and placed her hands on my shoulder.

"I'm so sorry." She said. I nodded to her.

"It's okay. He died protecting me." I said to her. She then looked like she had an idea.

"Have you ever heard of Knothole Island?" She asked. I shook my head.

"Come with me." She said, leading me down to the docks.

We soon arrived to this island, which I had never heard of. She lead me through the woods, where we were attacked by hobbes. Just as I was about to kill the last, Astrid stopped me and knocked it out with the end of her axe. I looked at her with a confused look.

"Help me carry it." She said grabbing its arms. I'm not to sure what she is going to do with it, but I didn't question her and grabbed the hobbes legs.

We soon arrived at this tomb door. She opened the door and threw the unconscious hobbe in. She then looked at me.

"Pass me the rubber ball." I hesitated. "Trust me." She said to me. I sighed and took out the red rubber ball and passed it to her. She placed it in the tomb and closed the door. She then led me to a lever that was a few steps away from the tomb.

"Pull the lever." She said to me. I pushed the lever down and a lightning bolt hit the tomb. Ince the lightning stopped the doors reopened. Inside was a black dog. And not just any black dog. It was-

"Toothless?!" I said in shock and disbelief. Toothless saw me and came running out as I got down on my knees and let him lick my face.

"Toothless, I thought I'd never see you again." I said as he barked and licked my face. Astrid knelt down next to us.

"Hey boy." She said, rubbing Toothless's head. Toothless began to lick her face as well. I laughed as she slightly tried to stop him.

"How did you...?" I began to ask, but not know how to day it.

"How he could come back alive?" She asked. I nodded. "Stories. While you were away I heard lots of stories about this place. How this was the 'Angel's gift' I guess you could call it."

"Thank you." I said to her. She smiled at me.

"Don't mention it." She said to me. She then stood up. "Come on," she said holding up the red rubber ball. "We need to start heading back, plus I have a feeling he's gonna want to play again." I laughed and took the ball.

"Toothless." I said getting his attention. When he saw the ball he began to bark. I smiled and threw the ball. "Go get it bud!" I said to him. He sprinted over to catch the toy. I laughed and turned to Astrid. She smiled at me, and leaned forward capturing my lips. I began to kiss her back. We stood their for a couple of seconds before pulling away. Astrid linked her hand with mine and we walked down to the docks. To start our new lives together.


End file.
